Archives of real estate blog entries for November 10, 2009

Featured blog posts


In my continuing quest to educate myself I will be continually educated today! - 04:15 AM
I'm off to an early start this morning because I have to be in Cleveland Georgia (about a two hours drive) by 9:00 A.M. today for an all day continuing education class.
And although I have plenty of C.E. real estate credits, this eight hour course is required to maintain my Georgia Auctioneer license. Auctioneer licenses in Georgia are renewed every two years, and I definitely don't want to give mine up for not meeting the licensure requirements.
So I'm in for a long day of driving and learning, and naturaly, it's supposed to rain a lot and that should make … (37 comments)

Tear Down That Wall- A Day Imprinted In My Mind Forever - 05:32 PM
The day the wall came down in Berlin was a day that I will never forget. My brother was in Germany for the historic event and as the wall starting being torn apart piece by piece he was on the phone with me. This was before youtube, before Iphones and Ipods, before the typical cell phones we have today. But he had access to a phone near the wall and I was able to be there in spirit and an earshot to this event. Why would this event be so important to us? Memories flood my mind as I think back … (67 comments)

Fun Ways to Categorize Your Blogs - 02:37 AM

Fun Ways to Categorize Your Blogs.  Coming from a clutter bumpkin, there is something to be said for having a bit of order and putting everything in its place.  Have you ever wondered how the Active Rain "Ambassadors" are able to refer back to so many of their own previously posted blogs?  Well, these smart folks have learned to categorize their blogs. 
Here's how to get started.  Categorize your blogs by creating a few simple titles (i.e. Funny, Inspirational, Sights To See, etc.) in a word processing program.  Then copy and paste the url of your favorite posts under each category title (this is a little time consuming at first, but … (49 comments)

Lessons in Passion from a Chicken Farmer - 02:10 PM
Lessons in life can come from the most unlikely of sources.  You expect to learn from your parents, your teachers, your coaches, and your mentors.  You learn from your colleagues, your clients, your friends, and sometimes even your children.
But a Chicken Farmer?
Who would have expected that?
THE EVENT
Last week, I had the fantastic opportunity to attend the TEDx MidAtlantic event in Baltimore, Maryland.  If you ever have the chance to attend a TED or TEDx event, hop on it without delay.  What's TED and/or TEDx all about?  Here's a blurb from the website:
"TED conferences bring together the … (54 comments)

Support Our Troops on Veteran's Day AND throughout the Year - 09:57 PM
Veteran's Day is a day to loudly and proudly honor all of those who have bravely served our great country. 
This year, while we're remembering all of those who have served in the past, let's also do something to support our current active military.
Don't have any ideas of what you could do?  Well, here are just a few to get you started:
Send a letter or care package.  There are several websites that you can check out to get you the right information for this.  You can check out www.anysoldier.com, www.letterstosoldiers.org, and www.amillionthanks.org. Donate blood for troops in combat.  There … (62 comments)

Blogging, features and high school. Are they related? - 05:27 PM


Can you guess which one is me?
OK folks, here's something I don't do that often, a blog post about blogging. I know...I know....booooring.
But every now and then I just feel I need to get it out there.
There have been quite a few posts lately about "Featured posts". And as usual the conversation gets around to the "popular" bloggers. I happen to be one of those "popular" bloggers  and have been pretty much since the beginning of AR. In fact I think I may have had the first featured post ever. Since then I have had.....are you … (123 comments)

Frank And Sally Explain The First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit - 01:01 PM

Frank And Sally Explain Real Estate: Episode 1
Meet Frank and his agent, Sally.
In trying to come up with a simple breakdown of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, I thought that video would be the answer.  Since I've done a few for the previous tax credit, I wanted to find a new way to use video to explain it all.  Enter Frank and Sally.  In this video, Frank's agent Sally, helps him understand the basics of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.  In the future, Frank and Sally will be providing some much needed help to … (37 comments)

I Want a Deal - 12:12 PM
 Well of course you do, in this day and age who doesn't? But the fact of the matter that all "deals" are relative to the situation. Your perception of what good deal is can be very different than than what the market says is a good deal.
 These days with all the fuss over foreclosures, every buyer that makes their way off of the proverbial fence is looking for that turnkey home that's is pristine condition. They also have their minds made up that they are going to get that beautiful home for next to nothing due to the desperation of … (83 comments)

Condition, Condition, Condition - 10:06 AM
If "Location, Location, Location" are the three most important words in real estate, the three second most important have to be "Condition, Condition, Condition." I was reminded of this again last week when I was working with a relocation buyer and over the course of two days, looked at 25 upscale homes in the Muncie area. My client had been out of the U.S. for several years and was new to the Muncie area so we visited homes with a broad range of styles and ages.
The differences in condition really stood out. Several were vintage homes with lots of space … (49 comments)

Word of the Week - Indefatigable - 06:20 AM
Close to 20 years ago,  a group of us formed a Toastmaster's chapter at our company.
One of the key elements of Toastmasters is that everyone had to have a job. My favorite was grammarian, where I delighted in coming up with obscure, multi-syllabic words to amuse my rest of the group. All week, I'd have people throughout the building yelling out the word  (ex., obstreperous) whenever they saw me. What can I say, we were silly.

In honor of my brief tenure as grammarian, I introduce to you a new blog feature: Jackie's word of the week. 

… (36 comments)

Top Five Reasons You Should Not List Your Own Home - 06:08 AM

My clients fell in love with a beautiful home a few weeks ago, and they were very bummed when it sold out from under them.  That's not supposed to happen in this market!
Undeterred, we wrote a back-up contract and crossed our fingers that this contract would self-destruct for some reason.  After all, a previous contract on the property had fallen through weeks earlier, so maybe this one would do the same.  And that's exactly what happened in just a matter of days.  My clients could not have been happier.
BUT...
The seller was a FSBO with a real estate … (103 comments)

Top Trends in New Homes | Smaller, Cozier, and More Cost Effective! - 05:32 AM
New Home Trends
Top Trends in New Homes Today's Homes are Smaller, Cozier, and More Energy Efficient Here's what homebuyers and builders are focusing on in today's new home market! 
- Focus on Smaller Homes Many builders are shifting from a focus on homes in the 2500 to 3500 sq ft range to homes mainly in the 1600 to 2500 sq ft range.  The average and median square footage in new homes has dropped for the first time in many years.  Smaller homes cost less too!
- "Great Room" Instead of Formals More homebuyers are looking for a "Great Room" concept … (36 comments)

You're Looking At A Fire Hazard - 11:49 PM
Natural gas and propane furnaces are usually vented with B vents. A B vent is a double-wall vent, so it can have tighter clearances to combustibles than single wall vents or metal chimneys.
But, just the same, it requires one inch of clearance, minimum, from flammables. Especially when people put water heaters in attached sheds, we find clearance issues.

A casual glance at the photo makes it all too clear that this water heater B vent is in contact with the OSB, a flammable. This contact is only a few feet above the water heater so we know that the … (28 comments)

New Home Communities in Cary NC - Build Your New Home in Cary NC! - 04:54 AM
New Homes in Cary NC New Home Communities, Lots and Land in Cary NC Find Your New Home In Cary!
Cary, North Carolina is a fast-growing city of over 100,000 inhabitants. Cary is part of the Triangle Area of North Carolina, one of the best places to live in the country; it is ranked highly in quality of life, social climate, and business climate by national publications. For more information on living in Cary, including local attractions, click here!
There are a wide range of lots for sale in Cary for the construction of your new home, from small lots close to … (5 comments)

ActiveRain Channels - Real Estate Technology and Tools - 09:07 AM
ActiveRain Channels - Technology and Tools - It's A "Discovery Channel"
Everyone knows how excited I get about all the new, cool, and useful technology that's available here and out on the web. Turns out, and it's no surprise, that I'm not the only one who loves to share tech tips and tools with others.  Many of us create posts on AR, sharing our findings and information with others in hopes that it will be helpful to them in their business.  We add them to  channel, give them a topic, submit them to our Blog, then we go on about … (66 comments)

OVER IT - 09:46 PM
I recently had an epiphany.  I have been in the real estate business for 12 years.  I can't recall a year or a day for that matter, that I haven't been totally driven every moment.. Pushing to be bigger, better, more.  I have paid big money over the years for coaches etc to push me. I recently switched companies because I felt that I needed more of a push to stretch, grow, expand. 
As I shared with the broker I was leaving my reason for going. He said something that annoyed me at the time.  He asked me why I felt  that I … (113 comments)

Individual Property Websites - Gimmick or Useful Marketing Tool? - 05:51 PM
Individual Property Websites - What are they? Simply put they are usually a subdomain page from your website.
My company is now offering them for free with our new company website www.danberry.com. For instance, one of my Individual Property Website domains is http://2925sugarridgerd.danberry.com/. I can go into the admin portion and change the address to whatever I want, for instance I could change the "rd" to "road".
Realbird also offers Individual Property Websites and there are other ways to go about making them, too. I use to buy the street addresses of my listings and then point them to the page … (110 comments)

"Peel back the Onion"Ispired by"Buyer's are not LIARS" - 04:56 PM
Peeling Back Onion Revels What You Need To Know!
In communicating with anyone, it seems if you master the technique of "Peeling Back the Onion" or "Digging a little Deeper"  you should get better more specific answers which could help you make more sales and save you more time, AND educate your buyer's like Bob suggested in is Buyer's are not Liars blog. IF ...you are willing to SLOW DOWN, ask more open ended questions, and LISTEN.
If our goal as a Realtor is to help someone to purchase or sell a home for that matter. and eventually get paid we need to peel back the … (14 comments)

Agents Working From Home - 03:46 PM
Today I have been working from home all day so far. I have started to do this 2-3 times a week.  I heard for many years that agents that work from home do less business or fall out of the business, so I have been one to go into the office everyday in the past.
The challenge for me is that I work with buyers and typically I am showing houses everyday. I show houses in a wider area the most agents, and often work on weekends.  I have never been one to take vacations a lot.
I am finding the … (75 comments)

You Don't Have to be a Great Writer to Reap the Benefits of AR! - 01:04 PM
Yes it's true! I know I'm not a great writer, some of the members here are truly gifted and I enjoy reading their blogs. I don't know, sometimes I just way over think what I want to write. Do you ever do that? I want it to be perfect! Hell, sometimes I go back and edit my comments, because I didn't like the way I worded them.
 I've been a member since March of 2007 and I'm only at something like 74k points. It took me quite a while back in 07 to get the hang of this, I did a lot … (83 comments)

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA - 02:27 AM
OMIGOSH, I'm STILL laughing at this one!
I received the following email this afternoon.  Keep in mind, this was a "cold email."  I've NEVER met this person, talked with this person, don't know a THING about this person.  
This is funny! 
At least I find it so!
 
Dear Carla,
We would like to look at homes, 3 bedrooms / 2 baths, nice yard, good neighborhood, in the Portland/Vancouver areas, between $150,000-$200,000.  Would you be willing to interview with us to see if you qualify to represent us as our agent?
Please take a moment and repond to answer the following … (109 comments)


Blog posts


I took a Deep Breath...But I'm Mad as H*LL...or What is Wrong With Sacramento? - 09:58 AM
OK, I just get to the office...enough ActiveRain for a while....Open up my email, take care of some business and then just as I am ready to move on with my day I get an email from a local client/friend.  So, of course I take a look.Now my friend definitely has red, white and blue blood - no doubt about it.  He is a retired Border Patrol Agent (pre ICE).  My friend has no problem letting the world know what he thinks or keeping us informed of events that have an impact on our country.Here is a photo taken in the … (11 comments)

Tear Down That Wall- A Day Imprinted In My Mind Forever - 08:00 PM
The day the wall came down...it's in my soul like the day Kennedy (both) wasshot, the day we walked on the moon, the day our last troops pulled out of Viet Nam or the day Nixon left Washington after resigning the presidency.
It was one of those days...
Here are the comments I left on the original post by my friend Katrerina

Via Nestor & Katerina Gasset Realtors® Wellington Florida Luxury Homes (International Properties and Investments, Inc.):
The day the wall came down in Berlin was a day that I will never forget. My brother was in Germany for the … (2 comments)

Pittsburg California Housing Market Report - October 2009 - 01:57 PM
Pittsburg California Housing Market Report - October 2009
The Housing Market in East Contra Costa County is still very tight.  There are some very slight price decreases, but they might be simple seasonal anomalies and certainly are not an indication of the market going soft again. 
This Pittsburg Housing Market Report for October 2009 compares the sales of single family home sales in October to those in September and the Active Housing Market in Pittsburg California.
Currently there are 123 Single Family Homes for sale in the Pittsburg Housing Market.  The Average Asking Price on those homes is $223,990.00 and the … (0 comments)

Antioch California Housing Market Report - October 2009 - 02:11 PM
Antioch California Housing Market Report - October 2009
The Housing Market in East Contra Costa County is still very tight. There are some very slight price decreases, but they might be simple seasonal anomalies and certainly are not an indication of the market going soft again.
This Antioch Housing Market Report for October 2009 compares the sales of single family home sales in October to those in September and the Active Housing Market in Antioch California.
Currently there are 176 Single Family Homes for sale in the Antioch Housing Market. The Average Asking Price on those homes is $227,827.00 and the … (0 comments)

Oakley California Housing Market Report - October 2009 - 03:08 PM
Oakley California Housing Market Report - October 2009
The Housing Market in East Contra Costa County is still very tight. There are some very slight price decreases, but they might be simple seasonal anomalies and certainly are not an indication of the market going soft again.
This Oakley Housing Market Report for October 2009 compares the sales of single family home sales in October to those in September and the Active Housing Market in Oakley California.
Currently there are 100 Single Family Homes for sale in the Oakley Housing Market. The Average Asking Price on those homes is $305,868.00 and the … (0 comments)

Brentwood California Housing Market Report - October 2009 - 04:42 PM

Brentwood California Housing Market Report - October 2009
The Housing Market in East Contra Costa County is still very tight. There are some very slight price decreases, but they might be simple seasonal anomalies and certainly are not an indication of the market going soft again.
This Brentwood Housing Market Report for October 2009 compares the sales of single family home sales in October to those in September and the Active Housing Market in Brentwood California.
Currently there are 162 Single Family Homes for sale in the Brentwood Housing Market. The Average Asking Price on those homes is $543,822.00 and … (1 comments)

Olney, MD ... one of Maryland's best kept secrets . . . revealed - 08:46 AM
This month our feature area is Olney, Maryland.  Olney, Maryland is located about 20 miles north of Washington, DC. It remains one of the nicest neighborhoods in Montgomery County. Oh, Takoma Park residents can lay claim to being the most eclectic, but those that live and visit Olney know that "like a good neighbor, Olney is there".

There really isn't a "town center" in the Olney area. Various shopping centers located in and around the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Olney-Sandy Spring Road ( that is 97 & 108 to the locals) try to lay claim to being the focal … (1 comments)

New Construction Homes for Sale - Falconhead West - Bee Cave - Austin TX - 10:04 AM
Falconhead West - Bee Cave - Austin TX - has a lot of new construction homes for sale in all different stages right now.  In a series of posts, I'm going to show you pictures and describe a little of what is going on. Many people will never have the opportunity to build a brand new house, and many who do, never pay attention to the process it takes to get that house to stand there for many years to come. Falconhead West in Bee Cave - Austin TX - used to be a Ranch, called Spillman Ranch.  Much of the … (4 comments)

I already have a buyers' agent, but I don't like to drag her out to view houses... - 03:43 PM
"I already have a buyers' agent, but I don't like to drag her out to view houses." HUH? This is a message I received earlier today.  This guy, as serious as could be, called to ask if I would show him a house that is over an hour away later this week, but "preferably this evening". What?  Did I hear him correctly?  I actually played the message five times to make sure I wasn't misunderstanding it.  Why would I show a house where I wasn't the listing agent nor the buyers' agent?  Just for kicks? I pulled it up in the … (32 comments)

MORE MISTAKES REVEALED ON HASAN INVESTIGATION - 09:16 AM
As each day passes we learn more about the mistakes made in the investigation of the alleged Fort Hood shooter, Nidal Malik Hasan. I have already removed his rank as I think it is an insult to those who have served us with honor.It now appears that as early as 2007, red flags were being waved in our faces - and once again (as mentioned in this blog a few days ago) - the "PC mentality" that exists in all branches of our military, seems to have been in the way of someone - ANYONE - doing the right thing with … (41 comments)

1480 Foxmoor lane Elgin Illinois 60123 - 01:24 PM
… (0 comments)

Hey You! Do You List...or List to Last? - 11:09 AM
 HEY YOU!  DO YOU LIST...OR LIST TO LAST?
Do you know the difference or which one you are?  There are listers in this business and then their are those that list to last!  The latter is what you should be aiming for, and if you do, you can't go wrong.  Even on a listing that may be impossible to sell in your eyes, if you're listing to last, you can make it work.  As the old saying goes - "you have to list to last" in real estate, but that's only if you work it right.  Let's take a look at … (12 comments)

Google Wave - Which Blip Have I Read? - 09:15 AM
As more and more people join a public wave on Google Wave, adding their comments at different spots within the wave, it might become difficult to determine which comments or "blips" you have already read, and which you haven't.
Here's how.  Unread blips have a bold, vertical left border, like this:

 
After you click on the blip or tap your space bar, the vertical border will disappear, like this:


And yes, Wave was built so that tapping the spacebar really is the easiiest way to surf through all the blips in a wave.
 
 
… (6 comments)

Where do you want to live? - 01:15 PM
When you purchase a house, you’re not just buying land and a structure. You're also choosing the community you’ll live in. Finding the right neighborhood for you is an important consideration. After all, many details of your daily life depend on your location. And while you certainly can describe a neighborhood by a subdivision name or the streets that form its boundaries, a neighborhood is much more than a section on the map. It is defined by the people, amenities and character of the area.  
 
Set your priorities
Deciding on a neighborhood that fits your lifestyle and desires is … (0 comments)

Setting the stage for a successful sale - 01:28 PM
You probably know many steps you can take to make your home more attractive to would-be buyers. Keep the yard mowed and edged, put a fresh coat of paint on the front door and you’ve started boosting its curb appeal. Inside the home, be diligent with cleaning chores and putting things away so the house looks its best whenever a buyer shows up.
 
But consider taking the presentation of your home even further if you want to the best chance to sell it quickly and for the highest possible price. That’s where home staging comes in. Staging helps you … (1 comments)

Blogging, features and high school. Are they related? - 05:27 PM


Can you guess which one is me?
OK folks, here's something I don't do that often, a blog post about blogging. I know...I know....booooring.
But every now and then I just feel I need to get it out there.
There have been quite a few posts lately about "Featured posts". And as usual the conversation gets around to the "popular" bloggers. I happen to be one of those "popular" bloggers  and have been pretty much since the beginning of AR. In fact I think I may have had the first featured post ever. Since then I have had.....are you … (123 comments)

42 S TYLER AVE, ORLANDO FL 32811 - 10:06 AM
 
 MLS# O4945824               42 S TYLER AVE, ORLANDO FL 32811     $$$ 22,500 $$$

Very cute and adorable bungalow style home. This house needs some love and TLC but could be great with that special touch! The home sits under fabulous oak trees and could one day be that doll house you have been looking for. *If exact square footage or room size is a concern, unit should be independently measured.
For the latest status on this property and many more like it in Orlando, contact Steve Glose with Keller Williams Realty direct at 407-616-7286 or visit www.thefloridalivingteam.com. You can also email me at … (0 comments)

4326 PERSHING POINTE PL # 5, ORLANDO FL 32822 - 10:09 AM
 
MLS# O4944675             4326 PERSHING POINTE PL # 5, ORLANDO FL 32822   $$$ 25,000 $$$

Purchase this property for as little as 3 percent down! This property is approved for HomePath Mortgage and HomePath Renovation Mortgage. Great condo located close to shopping and all ammenities. Spacious rooms and a great pricemake this place right for you! This will not last long, so make sure you see it today! *If exact square footage or room size is a concern, unit should be independently measured.
For the latest status on this property and many more like it in Orlando, contact Steve Glose with … (0 comments)

3104 HARRISON AVE # D 28, ORLANDO FL 32804 - 10:15 AM
 
 MLS#  O4945919 3104 HARRISON AVE # D 28, ORLANDO FL 32804     $$$ 167,000 $$$

 Beautiful Golf front townhome in the Brandywine Dubsdread East Community. Recently Upgraded throughout with the highlight being a gorgeous kitchen. Very quiet and relaxing with views of the fairway. This is a must see property. Minutes to downtown.
 For the latest status on this property and many more like it in Orlando, contact Steve Glose with Keller Williams Realty direct at 407-616-7286 or visit www.thefloridalivingteam.com. You can also email me at steve@thefloridalivingteam.com
… (1 comments)

Are You Making a List and Checking it Twice ? - 07:06 AM
 No one gets married to plan their divorce.. No one ever lists a house to envision the expiration date.  The other day, we were at an open house of a new listing...we often both attend the first open to be sure that everyone gets the attention they deserve and our seller is well serviced with every question answered, tour given and buyer and agent named and a follow up done.
   The buyer walked around the outside of the property and began her tour as if she had been there before...this was our first open...and there had been no prior showings...not … (5 comments)

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