Archives of real estate blog entries for May 9, 2010

Featured blog posts


Ways to Get More Followers on Twitter - 03:56 PM
Creating a Targeted Following on Twitter Growing your targeted audience on Twitter calls for a little patience and a some planning strategy. Twitter is a tool growing in popularity for businesses because of the inexpensive, simple way that they can connect with their customers. Interestingly,Twitter's business use spans all sizes of companies from small through to the big boys such as HP, BestBuy and American Airlines. The reason for it popularity is that you companies can connect with their customers and clients, advertise new products and services, and monitor their online brands. The route to growing your targeted Twitter audience has … (40 comments)

A Mother’s Day Story – a Tribute to Aunt Margaret - 01:19 PM
She bought me boots.  I was 7 years old.  I was a girl. Yet she bought me boots.
It was 1958. Girls wore frilly dresses.  Boys were “boys”, and collected frogs. My family just had all our possessions turned to ash when our interim warehouse burned down, during our move from Tuscon to Seattle.  We had nothing left except a worn copy of Childcraft, a spoon, and a bottle of Vidalin, which we carrried in our car en route to Seattle.
Our lives were gutted, so each of us 3 kids lived with a different relative that summer.  I was the … (34 comments)

Thank you to ActiveRain Corp. for visiting Las Vegas. - 03:31 AM
Thank you to ActiveRain Corp. for visiting Las Vegas.
Celebrity Real Estate Agent Aaron Auxier thanks Bob Stewart, Brad Anderson, and the ActiveRain Corporation for throwing RainCamp Las Vegas. The community of ActiveRain is a wonderful place for both new and veteran Realtors, home stagers, lenders, title reps, and other real estate professionals to not only network with each other, but also to reach out to the social community. Events such as RainCamp offer a tremendous amount of Web 2.0 and Social Media knowledge for both experienced online marketers as well as those looking to jump in feet first.
As … (13 comments)

Time To Show Off - 07:45 PM
If you’ve followed advice given here about sprucing up your home's exterior, well done!  Now let’s focus attention on the next thing potential buyers will see - the front door and the interior.  Now is the time for spring-cleaning and to show off your home's best features.

Repaint that front door and touch up around the entry.  Make it warm and welcoming with updated light fixtures at the entrance and foyer. Speaking of entries, check your windows and doors for energy efficiency.  If they're not airtight, an investment in new windows and insulation will pay off handsomely and impress buyers. … (48 comments)

Well I Ain't Never............Oh YES I Have and I Will Bet You Have Too! - 07:48 PM
Well I Ain't Never............Oh YES I Have and I Will Bet You Have Too!
There are times that life comes at you faster than you would like.  We all think that we can handle anything that life throws at us.  We are all Superman/woman, right?
We have gone to the training classe(s) that stress what we have just learned will take 14 or 21 days of complete application to have it become part of our day to day activity.  It is all part of improving our discipline or change an attitude.  Oh YES I Have and I Will Bet You Have … (74 comments)

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - 07:13 AM
I was called by someone who found me on line.  She wanted me to find the solution to a problem.
It seems the three kids in the family have all moved on, with Mom still living alone in the old house they grew up in.  Until recently.  She was "continually sick with the flu" and only felt better when she went to visit one of the kids, all nearby.  Their conclusion:  the house was making Mom sick and they moved her out to figure it out.  That could really be true.  In this case it was true.
They checked with an … (71 comments)

On TLC: Sweet Cakes Cafe, Mesa AZ - 06:28 PM
A Local Bakery in Downtown Mesa AZ is going to be on TLC's "Best Food Ever: Bodacious Bakeries".Mmmm...what is it about fresh baked food that is so tempting and inviting? And especially if there is chocolate or sugar involved. That's Right!                                       
                                       (This is not a sampling of the desserts from Sweet Cakes Cafe)   
So, according to a story in the Arizona Republic newspaper, Sweet Cakes Cafe is slated to be on TV tomorrow night, Monday. The owner reports she will be serving free cookies and appetizers to visitors and loyal customers. You can find the front door at 21 E Main Street, Mesa AZ.If you like decadent … (17 comments)

But MOM!!! - 10:09 AM

     Moms can be kind, understanding, sympathetic, nurturing, patient, complicated, longsuffering, unfathomable and even irritating and insufferable at times----you know----mothers. 
     If this was not the way it was supposed to be----they would not have been made out of women. 
     We all have lots of mothers in our lives----not just the ones that bore us or raised us----but all those others too that were either mothers to us or to those we care about, like the aunts, the girlfriends, the wives, the grandmothers, the great grandmothers, the moms of our children, the moms of our grandkids, and … (44 comments)

Make sure you take your Lancaster County Realtor for a "TEST DRIVE"! - 08:19 AM
Make sure you take your Lancaster County Realtor for a "TEST DRIVE"!
So how should one choose their Lancaster County real estate professional? You know, that one person who is going to guide you through one of the most important financial decisions of your life? Do you just call up the office closest to your home and go with whoever answers the phone? Do you drive around, find a house you like and call the person whose phone number is on the yard sign? Or maybe you go online to different company websites and choose the agent whose picture you like … (9 comments)

Three things would never cross my mind - 05:02 PM
Today is Mother's Day and I love today. I spent time with my mom, received so many texts from numbers I don't know who are wishing me happy mother's day and spent time cosmic bowling with my 8 and 4 year old children and one more -- such a neat thing -- my hubby took off work today (he's a firefighter) to be home for mother's day. I guess joking about him being an older geezer and having enough seniority to take off holidays when he wants now (unlike when we were first married and I had to go visit him … (49 comments)

Last Week On Active Rain: May 2nd - 9th - 02:59 PM
This was a wonderful week on Active Rain, as the blazing fast new servers made us forget the pain of the weeks leading up to the switch.  Sort of like our mothers forgetting the pain when we finally popped out and were so adorable!  So here is my Mother's Day edition:
1.  Dane Findley: Finding Your Joy-Zone: the Part of Real Estate that Realtors Most Enjoy   Dane has given us a well-written primer on how we can make our careers pass the Fun Test.  Well, he doesn't call it that.  Good read, Dane!
2.  Fran Gaspari:  Get Up From That … (40 comments)

Why Hyper Localism Is a Winner... - 06:39 PM
Why Hyper Localism Is a Winner...
 
When Activerain first put up a post named Hyper Localism, we thought it would be a "fun" contest to enter.  We read Brad's post over and over and studied it as well.  We tried to learn about things we should have known and incorporate them in our blogs and then we went along and wrote the Hyper Localism posts. We got very lspecific events and places, even writing about smaller not very well know places on Long Island New York. 
Magic Happened! Our posts not only came up very high in google ratings, but … (97 comments)

What You Didn't See... - 06:28 AM
What You Didn't See...     It has been a week to the day that record rains fell on the Nashville area of Middle Tennessee. As the roads flooded by this unprecedented amount of water, many locals found it difficult, if not impossible to get home. Flash flooding was the norn.        Millions of Americans watched scenes of flooding in this area, as the Cumberland River which flows through the heart of Nashville, crested at a height not seen in over 86 years. Millions watched as water flowed into homes and neighborhoods. Inundated cars, folks stranded on their roof tops and businesses in … (48 comments)


Blog posts


Be Careful of Nigerian Scams-Consumers Beware-Many Scams! - 05:38 PM
"A DeBary woman was arrested after a Volusia County Sheriff's Office investigation found that she participated in a Nigerian check-cashing scheme that defrauded at least 15 victims of $26,835, sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said Saturday."  Daytona News Journal Read the full story here. 
OK so you read right and many will have something to say to those that fell prey to these scam artists.  The truth is not everyone is tech savvy or spend hours on end online or in their email.  Some folks might be desperate or in a desperate situation and lo and behold their prayers are answered.  Money … (14 comments)

OPEN HOUSES FOR SUNDAY MAY 9 IN NORTHEAST LOS ANGELES - 11:01 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)

The Diet Continues Week 34 - Getting Back on Track - 09:37 PM
Weight wise it has been a bad week with a gain of .6 pounds.  However, food wise I have been doing much better.  I have been getting board with my food and therefore going off my diet.  My wife went shopping and got me a bunch of goodies so I can ad some variety back into what I am eating.
I have been drinking too much caffine and really need to cut it out to get back on track.
… (2 comments)

Not my idea - Just Asking! - 09:43 PM
There is a lot of controversy over the Arizona Emigration Law.  I tend to support it and tend to be a law and order type guy. 
What I am wondering about is this.  If it is legal to have DUI check points will it also be legal to have check points for people to prove their status in this country?  This seems a little scary for me.  I have to have a license when I drive, good ID when I fly and to go other secure places and/or come in and out of the country.  However, in essence there is no … (5 comments)

ActiveRainers Meeting in DC 12 Noon Monday May 10th - 09:04 PM
Impromptu ActiveRainers Meeting in Washington, DC  12 Noon Monday May 10th
Being out of town for the weekend sans computer...did not stop me from checking in with ActiveRain. Seeing this post NAR and CRS Meetings in Washington, DC - May 10 - 16, 2010 my thoughts, how can I not go to DC when Jeff Dowler is flying 3000 miles. A phone call to Jeff and we decide we are going to meet!
     
 Where :The lobby of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel 2660 Woodley Rd NW Washington, DC
 When :Monday May 10th at 12 noon.
 Please join us! ActiveRainers Meeting in … (15 comments)

"Birdsong Farm" - Stowe, Vermont Home For Sale - 02:25 PM
"BIRDSONG FARM" - Stowe, Vermont Home For Sale
This property is a unique, classic home featuring incredible views of Mt. Mansfield, a barn for 6 horses, caretakers apartment, in-ground pool, ponds, elevator, wine cellar, home theater, game room and gourmet kitchen.  There is even a river at the far property line.  It is handicap accessible.  It features over 6,700 square feet of finished space.  There is also an attached 3 bay garage.
The home is located on 12 acres of land and has easy access off Route 100.  It is an animal lover's paradise. 
I hope you enjoy the VIDEO! 
 
… (5 comments)

Festival Season in Milwaukee, WI...Celebrate ! - 08:19 AM
     There are what seems like a zillion festivals throughout the greater Milwaukee/Waukesha area all summer long...churches celebrate...ethnic groups...arts, crafts....everyone has something to celebrate...the smell of summer grilling delights from traditional bratwurst to roasting corn...and the some-mores in the backyard with those ooey gooey marshmallows !  Here are just some of the festivals in June...and stay tuned to this blog as more will be announced so you can mark your calendars for all the fun there is all summer long .
 
PrideFest When: June 11-13 Where: Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Dr.
Fri, June, 11th :: 3pm-Midnight - Headline … (4 comments)

Summerfest...A Musical Entertainment Celebration ! - 09:09 AM
  Summerfest is probably Milwaukee's best known festival.  It is an outstanding selection of every kind of music, lots of food, exhibits....it is the festival that people come "home" to if they have moved away...it is the festival people come to because they have heard how great it is.  It showcases the Lake Michigan lakefront Henry Maier Park Festival Grounds. Locally, we refer to it as "Milwaukee's Big Gig."  It is billed as the World's Largest Music Festival and we are seeing billboards around town announcing some of the talent that will be at this year's festival.
   There are many … (9 comments)

Helen Ga Real Estate "Duck Quesadillas found in Helen" - 05:35 PM
If you visit Helen often be on the lookout for Duck Quesadillas.  Do you know where to find them?
Helen has many things to look for other than food, how about a home away from home?  Did you visit and decide you might want to stay?  Vacation cabins, second homes, investment properties, and just plain houses are still available in our area at good prices.  Let's talk
… (0 comments)

Speechless Sunday: A Treat on New York's Streets - 09:12 AM

 
East Side West Side All Around The Town, The Treats Truck serves the most delicious yummy treats.
Look for the silver ’50s retro truck, emblazoned with the slogan, “NOT TOO FANCY, ALWAYS DELICIOUS.”
in a New York City neighborhood near you.
http://www.treatstruck.com/
 
 
iPhone Photo Courtesy of:
Mitchell Hall, Associate Broker, The Corcoran Group
Apartment and Townhouse listings by email
How much is your Manhattan apartment or townhouse worth in today's market?
 
… (10 comments)

#12 Clintonville - Columbus Best Neighborhood - 07:06 AM
Clintonville is #12 of '365 Places to Live in Columbus'... it is a poll that has been on ColumbusBestBlog.com since 2007...  it is a poll of City of Columbus neighborhoods, in the Columbus City School District...not that there is anything wrong with City of Columbus neighborhoods in suburban school districts... 
... City of Columbus neighborhoods in the Columbus school district, downtown, German Village, Victorian Village, Italian Village, Merion Village, Westgate.   Clintonville is winning the poll... but not far ahead of a surprise to me...
Clintonville homes for sale - Search
Other Clintonville posts on ColumbusBestBlog.com... my main site.
More about … (0 comments)

Columbus Ohio 43235 homes for sale - April 2010 - 07:47 AM
Columbus Ohio 43235 homes for sale brought to you by Maureen McCabe
 

The number of homes for sale in the Columbus Ohio 43235 area are down 41.2% from a year ago.  The graph shows the inventory of single family homes for sale for the past 15 months.  There was 4.7 months of inventory in April 2010 based on the current rate of home sales.
Columbus Ohio 43235 homes for sale a market report
Homes for sale 126
Listings sold 27
Months of inventory 4.7 based on current sales
Average Active home price  - $ 284,000
Average home sale … (0 comments)

Did - 12:31 PM
 
A $ocial Media Advi$or wrote of ActiveRain:"the channels have nothing to do with outside blogs being indexed or anyhting."
Really?  Did Bob Stewart lie to us about ActiveRain Channels back in 2008??
Or was the whole 2008 change outlined in ActiveRain Using no Index Tags to drive more traffic a failure?
Bob Stewart wrote :  "We have a lot of content on the site. We are constantly trying to find new ways to get your content to rank higher in the search engines. With the advent of Channels and topics, we now have a more direct structure for search engine … (0 comments)

Worthington homes for sale - 08:44 PM
Worthington homes for sale brought to you by Maureen McCabe

 
The graph shows the inventory of homes in the Worthington City School District for the past 15 months.  This is just single family homes. April 2010 there were 3.9  months of homes for sale based on the current rate of sales, close sales.
Worthington homes for sale a market report
Homes for sale 213
Listings sold 55
Months of inventory 3.9 based on current sales
Average Active home price  - $ 268,000
Average home sale price - $ 219,000
Median home sale price - $181 ,000
Worthington home … (0 comments)

Mothers Day poem for all you mother's out there - 10:18 AM
"Happy Mothers Day" "Happy Mother's Day" means more. 
Than have a happy day. Within those words lie lots of things
We never get to say.
It means I love you first of all, Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to me, And that I honor you.
But most of all, I guess it means That I am thinking of..Your happiness on this, your day,With pleasure and with love-Raul

 
Happy Mothers Day to all of you mother's out there.  I hope you all are able to have a fantastic day!
 
 
 
… (1 comments)

1325 Kingston, Schaumburg IL $219,900 - 05:32 PM
… (6 comments)

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Could you have a 'sick house'? - 08:25 PM
We've all heard stories about 'sick houses'.  This is a great post that shows the seriousness of the matter and how to get to the bottom of it!  Everyone should know about Carbon Monoxide poisoning and it is currently a law in Illinois that we have a detector in our homes.  Do you?  You should and this post is the reason why. 
Thanks to Jay Markanich a home inspector in Bristow, Virginia for this story that thankfully has a happy ending.

Via Jay Markanich (Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC):
I was called by someone who found me on line.  She wanted me to … (1 comments)

Middletown Delaware Home For Sale 2 Acres great price! - 06:52 PM
Middletown Delaware Home For Sale 2 Acres great price!


4 Bedrooms 3 Full Baths
$345,000

3 car garage!
IN-LAW-SUITE- That~s right this terrific 4 bedroom 3 full bath home situated on 2 country acres just outside of Middletownhas a 400 sq.ft.first floor in-law-suite. This home~s features include a pleasant oversized country style eat-in kitchen and a separate dining room, living room and home office/ study we all want and need. You will also note the 4 generous sized bedrooms - one of which has a walk-in closet and nice sitting area. The master bedroom also features a large … (5 comments)

This guy I know - 07:14 PM
There is a guy at my office, nice guy we have been friends for about 5 years.  He gets into the weirdest situations some of them tragic and just told me another.
A few years back he pulled his truck into a garage at his rental property but didnt know the gas can in the back of the truck tipped over, the gas leaked onto his hot exhaust while he was in the house and woof, there goes the garage.
A few weeks back he was sitting around a fire at night in his undies (I didnt ask) and the local fire … (6 comments)

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - 07:30 PM
 
Home inspectors can be useful for home problems at times other than just buying a new home:
 
Via Jay Markanich (Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC):
I was called by someone who found me on line.  She wanted me to find the solution to a problem.
It seems the three kids in the family have all moved on, with Mom still living alone in the old house they grew up in.  Until recently.  She was "continually sick with the flu" and only felt better when she went to visit one of the kids, all nearby.  Their conclusion:  the house was … (1 comments)

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