Archives of real estate blog entries for January 18, 2010

Featured blog posts


YOU GOTTA SEE THIS......Amazing and Beautiful! - 08:19 PM
 
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS......Amazing and Beautiful!
 
My friend, Andrea Hubbert, shared this on Facebook today.......it is so beautiful and moving! Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist that won Ukraine's Got Talent 2009. She uses a light box and sand to tell her interpretation of the invasion of the Ukraine by Germany during WWII. It left me speechless and I think you will love it too! The video is a little over eight minutes, but it is worth every second!
 
 
(81 comments)

Consumer (and Realtor) Website for Loan Officer Licensee Searching - 03:01 AM
 
 
On January 25, the National Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (NMLS) will be online and available to the public.  Realtors and buyers alike will be able to easily find critical information about loan officers.  Because implementation dates vary by jurisdiction, not all loan officers will be searchable in the system right away but, soon enough this will be a very valuable tool.
The available information is pretty comprehensive unlike most current license lookup services.  Rather than list what information will be searchable, let’s take a look at what questions this search will answer:
1.       Is this loan officer experienced?
2.       Has … (45 comments)

RainMakers Danced For Rain - 08:04 AM
In a time not long ago, when the crops were dry, and communities were losing their families and neighbors, Rainmakers were the individuals that were looked up to and counted on for saving their people.  These were the folks that in spite of tough and troubling times, were the chosen ones to dance, smile, and pray for RAIN to save their people and their crops from the drought.  Despite their predicament, they chose to have a bright and positive attitude even during one of their most challenging times ever. 
"Rainmaking refers to the act of attempting to artificially induce or increase … (116 comments)

Who's Viewing Who... Do You Change Your Online Personality to Match Your Audience? - 02:57 PM
A segment of a TV interview about online profiles arrested my attention.  It was a discussion about the fact that many people now prefer to have their lives segmented into different profiles.  Some even incorporate totally different personalities which they share with friends as they deem appropriate.
Facebook recently modified its platform to not only enable segmentation of who sees what on your profile, but also who you choose to pay attention to.  With just a few clicks, individuals can be effectively obliterated from view even if they are friends.
Now, there may be some things you'd prefer that your parents not see, but … (48 comments)

Blogging it All - 12:05 PM

Real Estate vs. "Fluff" Content
The battle is never over between those who want only real estate content on ActiveRain and those who want to write about recipes, gardens, family, and life. That's the way it should be. Blogging is the ultimate solo activity and there are going to be hundreds of styles and techniques that people adopt and invent. I like to think of concrete as a good metaphor for the ActiveRain blogging mix. Cement without reinforcing steel is brittle and weak. Steel without the rigidity of cement is too flexible and sensitive to moisture. Marry the two with … (46 comments)

Life Without Computers - 12:01 AM
I am admittedly addicted to my computers! (I have 3 in my office) I know exactly where my files are. I use Firefox "Foxmarks" which can be accessed from any computer with Firefox installed. And I can easily waste an entire day just fiddling around on different sites. I even watch ALL my TV on the network web sites, or on hulu.com. (I REALLY love Hulu!) And considering how much blogging we do, as well as updating our web sites, placing listings on multiple sites, creating fliers online, etc., etc., etc... I pose the question... what would you do if you … (41 comments)

Check Out my 20min per day Twitter Workout - 06:21 PM
So here is the 20 min per day Twitter Workout to help you become more effective with your time on Twitter.Most people tell me that part of the reason they don't want to get involved with Twitter, is that it takes too long, and that they have far more important things to do. Well, as I tell all my clients whatever time you have available, is the time you have available.. The key is to be as effective and productive with that time as you can.So here is my 20 min per day Twitter workout. Will it make you lose weight, … (32 comments)

CHILDREN ARE DYING IN HAITI - PLEASE HELP BRING THEM HOME! - 04:16 PM
The earthquake that hit Haiti 6 days ago left behind it a path of destruction.  According to official estimates, there are 330,000 Orphans in Haiti right now.   Some of these kids are in the process of being adopted by parents from the United States and other countries.   Many of these orphanages are in dire need of food and water.  Some of these babies are dying from dehydration as I’m writing these lines.  The situation is desperate.   These kids are dying while their adoptive parents are doing all they can to rescue them.  After several days of pleas, the US has finally … (66 comments)

If A Tree Falls In A Forest Does It Make A Sound If No One Is Around? - 03:40 PM
Have you ever heard the saying: If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound? The same is true for your online marketing and social media campaigns. If you're not driving relevant traffic, talking to people that want to listen, and marketing your ideas to the masses, your tree isn't making any noise.
 
Making Noise With Your Tree
If you are a blogger, which is probably the case if you're reading this, STOP blogging and ditching. Stop writing great information and leaving it to be found by the few, and start taking the extra steps to become … (46 comments)

The Number 1 Reason to Buy a Home Now! - 05:39 PM
The number one reason to buy a home right now may surprise you. The number one reason to buy a home now is NOT that the first time home buyer tax credit or the repeat home buyer tax credit is ending this spring. However, both of those are good reasons to buy a home right away.
The number one reason to buy a home NOW is found in the following quote from last week--"April 1 will be the first day that the Federal Reserve will end its debt purchase program and allow the struggling U.S. mortgage market to operate unassisted. As … (36 comments)

Agents – Some Tips to Get Your Homes Sold - 01:07 AM
This list of tips, admittedly, is a bit tongue-in cheek. But I think some folks can use the help. Perhaps they do know but just don't care, or are lazy, forget or for some other reason don't bother. Regardless, some help is needed.
I hope if these apply you take these suggestions to heart. 
Some of this seems so obvious and common sense. But clearly it's not. And it is certainly not doing clients any favors and getting their home sold. 
TAKE SOME PHOTOS Don't be so lazy. Buyers want to see them. REO agents are the worst. Guess they figure … (100 comments)

How To Find Your Content On-line: A Paralegal Q & A - 09:38 AM
 

How To Find Your Content On-line: A Paralegal Q & A
Here's the screen shot to my weekly use of TinEye.com where I can enter my website URLs to upload all the photographs on a page, select which ones I want the program to search for and find out if someone is using my images without my permission. I promised I would explain how I randomly monitor my work and my writers at the ActiveRain.com group Club Chaos so here are some Paralegal/Legal Investigator "how to find info" tips that people who create original content may find useful.
This … (63 comments)

RateWindow | See Mortgage Lending In a Whole New Light - 03:19 PM
(15 comments)

Getting on board with LinkedIn and Active Rain - 04:32 PM
This is my very first blog post!  I feel like Neil Armstrong-- One small keystroke for man, one giant leap for Real Estate kind!  
I own my own Home Inspection business, HouseMaster.  I represent Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties here in Pennsylvania.  I am looking to connect with Real Estate agents.  
I've always wanted a blog-- just never knew how easy it could be to set one up.  My plan is to write a post once a month (or whenever the desire takes me) on the different aspects of home inspection and hopefully I can share some wisdom and … (57 comments)

The Push to Hyperlocal: How to Be Seen (Part 1 of 4) - 10:26 PM
In this blog you will learn what "hyperlocal" is and how to get your blogs seen (found) locally.
Hyperlocal Hyperlocal is the term used regarding information that is "tied to" anything local. It's not like hyperactive, meaning excessive. Think hyperlink - ala linked to.
Here are some terms that may be considered hyperlocal:
The Village of Berkley Mickleton NJ Gibbstown Smith's Beef Shop Here are some terms not hyperlocal.
Home for Sale in New Jersey Buying a Home Beautiful Rancher on 3 Acre Homesite Why You Should Use Joe Smith as a Buyer's Agent Things to do The online competition is far … (129 comments)

I'm Auctioning Off My Head...ROAR! - 09:42 AM
As many of my FaceFriends know, I've been sharing personal issues with them. One of the things I've shared is the minor problems I'm having with skin cancer. Without boring you with all the mundane details, the bottom line is that in order to treat some of the cancer, I'm going to have to shave off my hair. Now, I could approach this as bad thing or I can make it fun. I've chosen to make it fun. Hence this post. I've decided a video of my Son Nathan Tutas shaving off my hair (Kojak style) has value. So, I'm going … (73 comments)

Open Houses Work, Five Good Prospects In Three Hours - 10:25 AM
There has been a lot of discussion on ActiveRain about the value of open houses. I held an open house yesterday from 1 to 4 and here are my results:
Over 50 people visited. Five agents who had not seen the home before visited. Two parties are interested in the home. I gave out at least 25 business cards. I got five good solid prospects who are currently not working with an agent. I got their names, email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. Here is what I have found works for me:
I greet all visitors at the door and … (70 comments)


Blog posts


Modular Homes - Home building of the future? - 03:35 PM
  There are many advantages to modular home construction. Since each home is built in the controlled environment of a centralized manufacturing facility, building materials do not sit outside on a building site exposed to the weather and possibly expose material to mold, mildew and wood warping. Modular companies utilize volume purchasing in a construction process that has been honed to eliminate 70 percent of subcontractors' work. These economies of scale result in a considerable savings of 10 to 25 percent to the customer on an average-size home. The average base price of a modular home is $250,000, with an increasingly … (4 comments)

Time to Sell - Time to Pick the RIGHT REALTOR®: Interview Questions, part 1 - 01:06 AM
If you have a home to sell in the Hemet - San Jacinto CA Valley, you have a 1 in 350 shot of picking the right one for you.  There are many good agents in the Hemet San Jacinto Valley that can do the job the right away and there are a handful of great agents - but how do you pick the right one from the 350 members of the Hemet San Jacinto Association of REALTORS®?I have a list of 13 questions I provide sellers that they should ask when interviewing an agent and finding the one who is right for you...1)  … (8 comments)

REAL ESTATE MARKET STATS 01/10/2010 - 01/17/2010: NORTHEAST LOS ANGELES - 07:00 AM
New listings entered
Price reductions 
Reported pending
Reported sold and closed 
These zip codes include the Northeast 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)

Letter from a Birmingham Jail - 10:55 AM
There are many words that will be shared over the weekend. Ceremonies will be held. Lots of us will pause and reflect on the changes that have occurred in our country over the last 50 years. There will be editorials and speeches. There will be entries on blogs world wide from amateurs opining about the man.

I have been fortunate. I was born in the sleepy southern town of Washington, DC. I witnessed first hand divided lunch counters, buses where only white folk sat up front, labeled water fountains and yellow school buses traveling across town. I witnessed George Wallace, … (4 comments)

(Text) Books Cost Too Much . . . - 09:27 PM

Years ago, Bobby Haft ran Crown Books. The chain was part of an empire built by his dad Herb Haft. They had a slogan "Books cost too much in Washington". Commercials were aired with Bobby pronouncing that "Books cost too much ..." and advising savvy shoppers to visit his discount book store. They had a run of success and then faded from view.
Books, especially text books still cost tooooooooo much !
Students in college face a large expense each semester when they have to pay for the books for their classes. A visit to the college book store reveals … (3 comments)

WHO ARE WE BECOMING? - 04:11 PM
This is my daughter's car. Like all decent parents, I think I have a good kid. Unlike some, I have the evidence to back that up. She's in college; in the honors program there; made straight A's in her first semester; was a sophomore by the end of that first semester; received a couple of academic scholarships and most important of all, doesn't give me too many sleepless nights. This weekend she came back from college to take part in the tennis fundraising tournament I had organized for her high school. After that was over she was to spend the evening with … (8 comments)

Is this what we've become? - 04:27 PM
This is my daughter's car. Like all decent parents, I think I have a good kid. Unlike some, I have the evidence to back that up. She's in college; in the honors program there; made straight A's in her first semester; was a sophomore by the end of that first semester; received a couple of academic scholarships and most important of all, doesn't give me too many sleepless nights. This weekend she came back from college to take part in the tennis fundraising tournament I had organized for her high school. After that was over she was to spend the evening with … (6 comments)

JUST LISTED - 61 Brookside Ave. in Webster MA - 01570 - 06:10 PM
 JUST LISTED - 61 BROOKSIDE AVE. IN WEBSTER MA - 01570

www.61BrooksideAve.com
STILL TIME FOR THE $8,000 TAX CREDIT! Single story living at its best! This lovely ranch features a good size eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances and ceramic tile flooring, sliders out to large wood deck overlooking large level lot with above ground pool and storage shed. Bathroom features supersonic shower with oversized tub, 2 large bedrooms on first floor and 3rd bedroom in partially finished lower level. Great quiet street with similar homes. Perfect for first time home buyers!
$209,000
   

(5 comments)

Power of Activerain - 10:36 AM
I believe in the power of Activerain. It is a great way to stay informed of real estate matters, learn from other agents, advertise listings and websites and in general further your real estate career.
 
Paul WalkerRealty Executives of Metro East1109 Hartman Ln, Suite 200Shiloh, IL 62221
(7 comments)

Just some stuff from Broker Bryant #2 - 11:33 AM

Good morning.It's Martin Luther King's birthday (you'll like this one) today. Bank holiday. That means no calling short sale lenders for me. Here are some things I like this morning.Just do it!I believe this relates to "Just do it"  Converting Internet LeadsIt doesn't always have to be about Real Estate to be useful HUD 90 day rule suspended
"I have always observed that to succeed in the world one should appear like a fool but be wise."~ Charles de Montesquieu ~
Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close.
Want to find out more? www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com
 

(9 comments)

Skokie, IL Real Estate Market Trends ~ 2009 - 01:57 PM
There were 463 properties sold in 2009 in Skokie, IL with an average market time of 151 days. Average sold price was $268,598. The minimum sold home had a value of $65,000 and the most expensive sold home was $1,140,000 in 2009.
 
On the first chart you can see, market time, average sold price, and how many condos and townhomes were sold in 2009.

Below real estate statistics chart is for detached single family homes sold in 2009.

Skokie, IL Real Estate Market Statistics for 2009 by the price.

Few Stats from National Association of REALTORS®, 2009
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Pueblo West Home Info - Electricity Monitors and Radon Meeting - 12:05 PM
Just in case you didn't see this info in the Pueblo West View, here is some important home info.
The San Isabel Electric Association donated ten "Kill-A-Watt Electricity Usage Monitors" to help home owners measure the electricity usage of their 110-volt appliances.  The monitors are simple to use and can be checked out from the Pueblo West Library for a two-week period.  This is a great way to check your home energy usage.  See http://pueblowestview.com/news/1263452400/2
January is National Radon Action month.  Radon, an odorless gas, found in many homes in the Pueblo area, is the 2 nd leading cause of lung … (0 comments)

Price Heals All Wounds..... - 11:14 PM
Price Heals All Wounds
"Why aren't we getting any showings?"
"Why didn't I see an ad in the magazine this month for our house?"
"When are you going to do an open house?"
As a listing agent, often times we get comments like these and many others. After having a listing for several months and feeling like you are getting beat up by the seller and the market, there is only one key to the situation.
PRICE IT RIGHT!
What is pricing it right? Well, we have noticed that statistically, the lower 1/3 of the properties in any given price range are … (10 comments)

Don't Show Your Home to Strangers Without an Appointment - 08:31 AM
  Sometimes the enthusiasm of wanting to sell...the pride in showing a homes take over the common sense of letting a stranger into a home who is likely to be schooled in the vandalism/theft that can be damaging in many ways to a homeowner....Appointments are best.....Safer for sellers...Seller beware.
Via J. Philip Faranda, J. Philip Real Estate Briarcliff Manor NY:
The other day a seller client told me that she showed her home to strangers off the street who knocked on her door and expressed interest in seeing the place without an appointment. She accommodated them. We don't know who they are, or even if … (6 comments)

Knox County Ohio Country Home on Koppert Road - 04:26 AM
View more listing details, virtual tour, country views and interior photos at Koppert Road
Call Sam Miller of REMAX Stars Realty (740) 397-7800 SamMiller.com
(2 comments)

Reach for the CyberStars® - 04:53 AM
The Cyberstars are an amazing group of tech minded real estate agents who share creative ideas and exchange referrals. As a member of the group you always have someone to connect with when you have a real estate question, a technology question or even a challenge.
Via Steve Kantor - Best Agent Business - Virtual Assistance (BEST AGENT BUSINESS):
This past week (January 11-13, 2010), Best Agent Business President Steve Kantor participated in the Allen F. Hainge CyberStars® Summit in Phoenix, AZ.
Our group, the Allen F. Hainge CyberStars®, has one primary purpose: To create a true family of like-minded real estate professionals who … (1 comments)

Wide Angle Digital Camera for Real Estate - 05:13 AM
Casio - EXILIM EX-H10 12.1 MEGAPIXEL, 10X 24MM WIDE ANGLE OPTICAL ZOOM, 3.0 INCH LCD SCREEN DIGITAL CAMERA
For those agents who are not ready to step up to a digital SLR but would like to utilize a wider angle lens the newest Casio pocket point and shoot digital camera might be the answer for you.  The Casio Eximim EX-H10 is a 12.1 megapixel but what will catch your attention is the 24 mm lens.  This is one of the widest pocket cameras available and I only know of one that has ever been wider (the Kodak v570 and v705) but … (16 comments)

Apple Valley Lake View Home at 788 Valleywood Heights Drive - 05:42 AM
For more details, additional photos and to view a virtual tour visit 788 Valleywood Heights Drive
Call Sam Miller of RE/MAX Stars Realty (740) 397-7800 Apple Valley Lake Community Homes For Sale
(1 comments)

Off Market - 06:14 AM
For more listing detail and to view lots of interior photos visit 22631 Cornish Road at the Apple Valley Lake Community
Call Sam Miller at REMAX Stars Realty (740) 397-7800 Apple Valley Lake Homes For Sale
(0 comments)

Mount Vernon Ohio Brook Run Ranch - 06:46 AM
For more listing details, virtual tour and lots photos visit 14 Brook Run Court in Mount Vernon, Ohio
Call Sam Miller of REMAX Stars Realty (740) 397-7800 Mount Vernon Ohio Homes For Sale
(0 comments)

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