Archives of real estate blog entries for July 12, 2009

Featured blog posts


Top 75 "Free" Photo sites and Top 45 Photo Stock sites - 08:30 AM
Ever wondered , while browsing people's blogs, where they are getting their images from? Look no further for we've amassed a giant list of these kinds of sites. Browsing people's blogs this morning got me to the realization that most are using google images. For those of you who are just taking images from the net you must know about copyright laws. But that's another post. For now i'd rather you use the following sites to get images which are truly free* without concern. stay tuned for another day! Here now are those sites in no particular order. 

Top 75 Free … (180 comments)

Private Mortgage Insurance, tell me again why I paid it? - 07:07 AM

So many people over the past couple years saved money getting a 100% loan rather than an 80/20 or 80/15/5 loan. But, those who got that 100% loan were stuck having to pay PMI on their loan, which in reality, if they paid it down below 80% loan to value ratio, the PMI would be taken off.
But, as many found out when the bubble started to burst, the 80% mark was going to be a lot harder to hit than they thought. With declining house values, that 80% value just wasn’t there anymore and they were stuck paying … (102 comments)

Homes on The Market are Suffering from Identity Crises - 11:17 PM
Is your Home one of Them?
When it comes to marketing a home it is so important to make sure all the rooms are in order and accounted for. Meaning that each room in a house has a specific purpose and it is necessary that buyers see them for what they are.
Many of the homes I view and stage have rooms that suffer from Identity Crises.
• Living rooms that have become the play and toy room.• Bedrooms that are made into a make-shift office, homework room or a catch-all room.• Dining rooms that have become the second family room.
… (8 comments)

Save some dough? - 02:39 PM
Times are rough... they are rough for many of us... especially in the real estate industry.  We are finding our belts and sucking them in a few notches...  But not just in the real estate industry. 
Last night I was talking with some friends that are in the business of state and local government.  Furloughs, hours reductions and no raises are just some of the ways they are being affected...  Out in the private sector, pay cuts, layoffs and other cutbacks are all over the place. 
But that isn't news...
One can barely turn on the radio, TV or computer without … (41 comments)

Washington, DC, Are YOU on a quest to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Get Recognized? - 10:19 AM
Washington, DC, Are YOU on a quest to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?  Get Recognized? 
This post is a result of two posts by my friend Richard Weisser down in Georgia.  The first post was "How do you expect to get drenched in the rain if you don't even want to get your feet wet?" dated 5/21/09 in which he offers 6 suggestions to those of us here in Active Rain.  In addition he also offers his personal guarantee "So, for those of you that want to succeed at blogging, I offer you this challenge. … (52 comments)

Domain Names, There Are Some REALLY Good Ones Out There Now - 09:07 AM

     I have my own way of SEO. Nobody taught me and no"experts" were used. Yet, I have been very successful with our web sites. A good domain name, in my opinion, can help with internet success. Many will argue the name does not matter for SEO purposes, if that is so, why does Google highlight it when searching? That being said.
     I started www.AtlantaRelocate.com about 5 years ago. The domain name had expired from another real estate agent. Presto, no Google sandbox effect (Google takes a while before it trusts your site) and instant recognition on the search engines. … (65 comments)

Life just gets easier! (Linking your Blog to YouTube) - 07:13 AM
Did you know there is an option on YouTube that allows you to link your regular blog to your YouTube account page?
Well now you do!
When you login to your YouTubeaccount, make sure you set up the magic!  You will, of course, click on Account and notice the menu on the left hand panel.

YouTube magic! So you click on "Blog Setup" and "Add a Blog" to get the party started.
Then you gotta select your blog platform from a drop-down list containing:
Blogger Wordpress.com Wordpress self hosted LiveJournal Friendster Piczo Freewebs
Enter your username and password (or e-mail … (41 comments)

Where do I begin? VIRAL REQUEST - 06:43 AM
Where do I begin?
Since it has been 23 weeks since my first post on January 30, 2009 I am getting very close to another milestone in the AR community, almost at reaching 50K I am excited, however this blog I am now posting is to be a special blog that I want devoted to my daughter-in-law,
Victoria Hann Corbett

Vicky, who celebrates her 38th birthday this coming August 4th  is battling an autoimmune disease. She needs our help with an abundance of prayers. She needs a miracle, a donor to come forth and provide her with a new … (53 comments)

Short Sales: Dissecting The Financial Worksheet - 07:01 PM
 
OK so Wendy and I completed session 2 of Short Sale Basics today. It was awesome!!!! If you want to get in on Short Sale Basics it's not too late. All classes are being recorded and are available on MP3.
So if you have the desire to learn how to handle Short Sales come join us!! It's only $97 for the entire 5 part Webinar IF...you get in now. Once the sessions are completed....the cost WILL be going up.
Wendy and I are spending many hours putting these together and can guarantee you that at $97 we are practically giving … (22 comments)

One Activerain Post That Changed How I Blog - 04:34 PM
Sarah Cooper authored a post in June 2007 that changed how I blog.
Maybe that's because she spoke a language I understood - Real Estate, NOT tech-speak or blog-speak.  After all, I was fairly new to this world of blogging, but an old-timer at real estate.  Sarah's advice in Stage Your Posts sounded familiar - a lot like the recommendations agents and stagers give to home sellers regarding the staging of any home for sale.  She used phrases like "de-clutter" and "curb appeal", for example.
Sarah's advice made a lot of sense to me, and I headed over to the … (110 comments)

Stage Your Posts - 04:33 PM
Here we are, right in the midst of a WEALTH of information about staging, and I have seen some pretty rough looking posts lately.
I’m not going to name names, if your blog could use a little “oomph” you probably already know it. 
What to do?
It’s pretty simple.  Let’s follow advice our resident stagers might give us for a house, and apply those lessons to our blogs.
Have curb appeal.  Use a decent, recent picture of yourself.  Other choices might be a good logo or interesting picture that might have to do with your business.  Potential clients are prowling our site, help them … (186 comments)

Charging our clients? When is to much? - 11:07 PM
Do any of you do it?  Do you charge a transaction fee?  How much do you charge?  Would you say something if you thought a lender was overcharging your client?
I had a closing this week that really got under my skin.  It started when the buyer asked for 7k in closing costs on a 138k home.  As the listing agent it is not my job to let a buyer know that the lender is taking him to the cleaners so we accepted the offer after some negotiations and Friday we closed.  At the closing table I am looking at the … (20 comments)

"Go Ahead, Make My Day" - 11:19 PM
Harry Callahan, played by Clint Eastwood, in the 1983 movie, Sudden Impact, made the phrase, "Go Ahead, Make My Day!" one of the most quoted phrases in movie history. 
Well my client "Made My Day" but not quite in the same way.   Saturday's mail brought a Hallmark Card to my door  "You don't just give, you give from the heart... and it makes all the difference.  Thank You."   
It seems that we often remember the difficult clients and kinda' forget about the nice ones as we move on through time.  These folks are some of the nicest people you will ever … (32 comments)

There Really are Some Realtors That Need a Lesson in Common Courtesy! - 11:06 PM
O.K. I know we have been down this road before but I just have to voice my frustration and anger over agents who think it's just fine to make an appointment to show a home, and then NOT show it, and then NOT call the office or the agent to cancel!!!
***********NEWS FLASH***********All homes have sellers! They are investors, or the elderly who have gone on to assisted living, or relocation sellers who have already moved to their new location or just "regular " sellers and they expect that when an agent makes an appointment to show their home that the agent … (39 comments)

So Much Said About Copy Infringement of Photos. Where Does One Go? - 07:29 AM
Here is one blog with no photos or images, because I'm gun shy. Unless I actually have a personal photo I can use, I don't know where you AR bloggers go to get your widgets, photos, and images. Are there free sites that can be drawn from or are they all pay sites? Your help will be most appreciated.
… (35 comments)

City Data...what are they talking about? - 06:08 PM
If you haven't been involved with your local City Data forum, you should be!  I have had great success from City Data, closing 3 deals already just this summer.  In June alone, they had 11.7 million unique visitors.  City Data states: "If you ever need to research any city, zip code, or neighborhood for any reason, from considering a move there to just checking where somebody you know is staying, this is the site for you."
City Data is just one more wonderful resource for us and it's FREE!
What are they talking about?  Homes, schools, taxes, restaurants, shopping....everything we know EVERYTHING about!  … (61 comments)


Blog posts


New Hampshire Buyers - First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Deadline is Approaching - 02:33 PM
 

   Attention All New Hampshire Buyers -- The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Deadline is quickly approaching! 
   If you want more information, please give me a  call and I will be glad to meet with you to discuss the home buying process.
   Even though there are efforts in congress to extend the tax credit, many are predicting that an extension of the first time home buyer tax credit will not pass.
     The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorized a tax credit of up to $8,000 for first time home buyers who qualify and … (18 comments)

Job Security - 08:19 PM
I have discovered the secret for insuring your Job Security as a Real Estate agent. OK. Maybe it’s not such a big secret, since almost every agent already knows about it. But I guarantee that few actually do it consistently. So what’s the big secret? It’s this: Call your past clients and Sphere for one hour/day to create consistent business and referrals. It’s true! By spending one hour a day calling your past clients and sphere, you are creating Job Security. Even when the market is shifting. So, here is the formula for insuring your Job Security: 1. Know who is … (1 comments)

OPEN HOUSES FOR SUNDAY JULY 12 - 07:29 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)

Use Air Conditioning Condensate Water to Water Plants - 01:54 PM
I am collecting between 8 and 10 gallons of water per day from my air conditioning condensate line. I simply put a 10 gallon tub under the drip line and while the AC runs, it drips. I use what I collect to water outdoor and indoor plants. I put mosquito dunks in the tub to control those pesky critters. Folks, this is a no-brainer. The first thing an air conditioner does is wring water out of the air. The water drips on the ground and evaporates.  Why not put it to good use?
If you have a backyard garden or any … (5 comments)

How Did I Celebrate My Birthday? - 10:02 AM
I had a great birthday, full of activity!  First, we dropped my daughter off at my in-laws where she spent the night for the first time.  She still hasn't come home...
Then, we went to Manuels Restaurant in Downtown.  It was a nice atmosphere where I had some chicken enchiladas and Mike had some beef fajitas.  I even splurged and got a drink, however, they put a lot of green "stuff" in the drink that kept coming up my straw, so I was fishing most of it out.  It didn't really have any taste, so it wasn't mint like I thought … (16 comments)

Can You Identity this Creature? - 08:32 PM
Thus far, you guys have been able to name everything I've thrown at you, but can you name this creature?

My husband said it was a dragonfly, but we've seen many dragonflies while on the boat, and this is no dragonfly.
It nicely let me take a few pictures and then as soon as I put the camera down, it flew away.
What am I?
**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Austin Skylinewww.DonnaHomes.comDonna@DonnaHomes.com
Austin, TX real estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, Westlake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... … (14 comments)

$7 FOR A tiny PIECE OF PAPER?? Goodbye Bank of America!!! - 09:49 AM
Okay, I've hated Bank of America for a LONG TIME now...I use them for our company's business banking and have been wanting to switch as soon as all of our escrow money was out of there and the homes were sold.  They charge me $13 per account for all 3 of my accounts with them!!!  That in itself is highway robbery in my opinion.  The next big beef I have with them is that lately, if I deposit a check from a local bank, they hold my money for a full weekor more unless I call them every day until it … (2 comments)

Day 2: 100 Days of Central Mass Features Wild Willy's Burgers - 07:39 PM
Nothing beats a mouth watering Wild Willy's Burgers burger after a long day of showing houses!  We found out about this great place thanks to one of our clients - Kay Roberts.  Wild Willy's Burgers leaves McDonalds and Burger King in the dust!  These burgers are fresh, BIG and come in almost every flavor style you can think of.  Their "country fair" fries are hand made and super delicious!  Not a burger person?  That's okay!  They have awesome chicken sandwiches or chicken tenders.  Pair anything on their menu up with a huge frosty mug of root beer and you're golden!  Click here … (1 comments)

Eye candy for the soul - Fort Myers Beach - Speechless Sunday - 09:50 AM
As many of you know I have upgraded my camera from a simple point & shoot to a Nikon with a wide angle lens and some other stuff which allows me to yake great interior shots in low light conditions.  These photos were shot late evening here on Fort Myers Beach.  I then did some basic processing to give them somewhat of a dreamlike quality.   I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed learning about my new system !


Any comments you have are very welcome !
 
 
… (28 comments)

rssinclude.com - 09:14 AM
Oh, look!  A new toy http://rssinclude.com 

 
rssinclude.com takes the URL of an RSS feed, and converts it into a little script widget you can paste into any plain-old HTML web page.
And then, you can style the appearance of the widget....
http://www.rssinclude.com
 
From Killer Startups: 
With Rssinclude.com you will be able to publish a number of feeds on your website in a simple and fast way. In case you are interested in this service, keep reading this review and you will get more information about it. If you decide to give this solution a try you will be … (2 comments)

SB 133, DOI 12404.1 and REINSURANCE - 05:47 PM
Reinsurance?
The other day a few of us were carrying on an email conversation with a title company insider.  (I am soooo ready to have these conversations in Google WAVE, but I digress.)
Anyway, the title company person mentioned that he thought that the Reinsurance schemes of a few years ago were the trigger that started the move towards an industry crackdown.  Reinsurance?  To my embarassment, I was not familiar with the term.
Google to the rescue:  In short, title insurance companies allowed mega-brokers and builders to assume a portion of the title insurance policy risk, and in return the brokers and builders received … (0 comments)

How the New Government Regulations May Impact Your Closing Dates - 06:08 PM
I am reblogging Steward Penn's post, because I think this is important information.  Thanks, Stewart!!

Via Stewart Penn - Los Angeles Condo Specialist (Penn Properties):
This week I received an email from Wells Fargo Bank titled: "How the New Government Regulations May Impact Your Closing Dates".
"On July 30, 2009, the new Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) laws will go into effect. They require all mortgage lenders and mortgage brokers to help prevent deceptive lending practices and protect customers by helping them become more informed".
Four of the most significant factors that can dictate a closing date can be … (0 comments)

Short Sales: Dissecting The Financial Worksheet - 07:01 PM
 
OK so Wendy and I completed session 2 of Short Sale Basics today. It was awesome!!!! If you want to get in on Short Sale Basics it's not too late. All classes are being recorded and are available on MP3.
So if you have the desire to learn how to handle Short Sales come join us!! It's only $97 for the entire 5 part Webinar IF...you get in now. Once the sessions are completed....the cost WILL be going up.
Wendy and I are spending many hours putting these together and can guarantee you that at $97 we are practically giving … (22 comments)

Where do I begin? VIRAL REQUEST - 06:52 AM
  Anyone out there that can help this gal.....? Let's send her healing thoughts and a new kidney !
Via Kathleen Ann Pacheco-Corbett Realtor® RI-Ma CEBA Master e-Pro ABR ABRM GRI CRS ((FIRST Exclusive Buyer's Office Providence-RI) ):
Where do I begin?
Since it has been 23 weeks since my first post on January 30, 2009 I am getting very close to another milestone in the AR community, almost at reaching 50K I am excited, however this blog I am now posting is to be a special blog that I want devoted to my daughter-in-law,
Victoria Hann Corbett

Vicky, who celebrates … (5 comments)

Has Vermont Real Estate Hit Bottom? - 05:45 AM
Many Vermont real estate buyers want to wait until the market reaches bottom to buy, insuring they are getting the best possible price. This is a natural thing to do...but how do you know when the market has reached bottom?
Usually it is by looking back and saying "Oh, I wish I had Bought back then!" We may be reaching the bottom of the current real estate market and beginning to see the return of appreciation. Do Not Miss your opportunity.
Here is an "Interesting" excerpt from CNBC. I suggest you take it as a "For What It's Worth". There are certainly some good … (3 comments)

Selling Your Rutland VT and Okemo Mountain VT Home Yourself - 05:58 AM
Selling your Rutland VT and Okemo Mountain VT home yourself might sound like a good idea at first, but many FSBO (for sale by owner) sellers quickly realize they've gotten in over their heads or may have sold their home for much less than they would have had they worked with a Realtor®. 
The 2008 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that two-thirds of "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) sellers found some aspect of the home sale to be difficult. 
Twelve percent of sellers who knew the buyer thought that getting the price right was the hardest task. Among FSBO sellers … (0 comments)

Sellers - What You Need to Know About Pricing - 05:01 PM

Via Jeff Dowler ~ Carlsbad Real Estate ~ 760-840-1360 (RE/MAX Associates (DRE# 01490977)):
If you are a seller in most markets, determining the listing price is probably the most important, and perhaps most difficult, decision you need to make, at least if you are serious about selling. If you aren't then the price doesn't matter. Just pick the price you want and go with. 
But savvy folks will pay attention to the things we know about setting a reasonable price, but sometimes ignore. 
You don't determine the sales price, nor do agents - the buyers do. Your home is really only worth … (1 comments)

Tsunami of foreclosures on the way? - 05:06 PM

Via Robert T. Boyer, Ph.D. (San Diego's Finest Real Estate):
From most of the people I have been talking with, all signs point to a wave of foreclosures heading our way.  The common wisdom seems to be that the moratoriums have temporarily dammed up the stream, causing a backlog; when all the moratoriums are lifted we are in for a mass of foreclosures.  The thought is that three or even six months won't have changed too many financial situations for the better and the "banks" can only have facilitated so many loan modifications.
What does your crystal ball say about an upcoming … (1 comments)

You And Your Big Tweetin' Mouth! - 10:27 AM
Oh, Lordy. I wondered when this would happen . . . 

A Phoenix Twitterer announced via update that he and his family were taking off on a fabulous vacation . . . tra la la la la . . .
 . . . they returned home
to find their home had been B and E'd and their possessions liberated.
We are a nation of revealers. We announce when and what we eat, who we hang out with (even when we don't KNOW who it is!), what we do and how much we pay. This is TMI!
When you update Twitter, Facebook, … (9 comments)

The EASIEST FASTEST BEST SALSA EVER! - 06:04 PM
This is my offering to our Association's cookbook that will be out this Fall; a variation on a recipe given to me by my first broker and with guidance from one of my agents who grew up in Mexico and cooks like no one's biz . . .
We are all about fresh salsa at my house! And it's gotta be SUPER HOT!
If YOU ARE A GRINGO . . . uhhh . . . require more mildness . . . use ONE jalapeno and skip the garlic.
For the SUPER HARDCORE . . . put ALL THE PEPPERS IN.   (Go ahead . . . … (9 comments)

Related links

New Members for 2009-07-12

 Archives:

31 Jul
30 Jul
29 Jul
28 Jul
27 Jul
26 Jul
25 Jul
24 Jul
23 Jul
22 Jul
21 Jul
20 Jul
19 Jul
18 Jul
17 Jul
16 Jul
15 Jul
14 Jul
13 Jul
12 Jul
11 Jul
10 Jul
9 Jul
8 Jul
7 Jul
6 Jul
5 Jul
4 Jul
3 Jul
2 Jul
1 Jul
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
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