Archives of real estate blog entries for January 18, 2012

Featured blog posts


Why Servers Can Make Rockstar Agents - 08:02 PM
I’ve heard it a million times. Waiters/waitresses/bartenders make kick-ass real estate agents. I’m a case in point. But, really, why exactly is it that those with experience in the service industry, often turn out to be some of the best, brightest, and most successful in the biz?
 
It’s pretty simple, really. And here’s why.
 
To start, lots of people get stuck in the restaurant business, not for lack of motivation, but for lack of another option. Many are making 50k+/year, more than most of their friends with college degrees and entry level jobs. And most can’t fathom the thought … (47 comments)

Stop Putting it OFF! - 12:55 AM
Have you ever procrastinated to a point that you’re facing a looming deadline? (April 15th comes to mind) – Then, you find that once you start that task, it wasn’t as painful as you thought. Shawn Achor, Author of ‘The Happiness Advantage’ quotes psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “Why would we spend four times more time doing something that has less than half the chance of making us feel good?” Csikszentmihalyi calls this phenomenon “Activation Energy”. In physics, activation energy is the initial spark needed to catalyze a reaction.  The same energy, both physical and mental, is needed of people to overcome inertia … (66 comments)

Reasons Why Buying or Selling a Home Can Be Like Online Dating - 10:26 PM
** Buying or Selling a Home Can Be Just Like Online Dating **

I have to give credit to one of my clients for giving me the idea of writing this post.  I was showing houses to her over the weekend and she told me that she felt as though selling her house makes her feel like she is engaging in online dating.  I laughed at her comment, but really gave some thought to it.  She was right and I decided to find the humorous side to this analogy and write a post.  I am sure I am only hitting … (62 comments)

Trust the Internet - Your Call - 11:30 PM


Trust is important to all of us in both personal and business.
Think about this...The Internet sites we join hold both our personal and business information.  We trust the Internet sites includeing the social networks we belong to.  
I have a book I keep in my desk drawer with all the URLs and passwords for the social networks and other Internet sites I have joined.  Yeah I know, we are NOT suppose to write our passwords down.  Believe me when I was Director of the IT Security Office for NOAA, this was preached to the employees all … (69 comments)

Real Estate Professional Networking - ActiveRain vs. FaceBook vs. LinkedIn - 10:24 AM
A recent FaceBook group debated the future of professional networking in real estate.  Is FaceBook the future of professional networking?  Is it LinkedIn?  Or ActiveRain?
How do you use ActiveRain, FaceBook and LinkedIn to build your professional network, establish a reputation and trust, and generate referrals?
What is ActiveRain good for vs. FaceBook or LinkedIn?
Enquiring minds want to know! 

Photo from pjf@cpan, Flickr 
… (62 comments)

Wordless Wednesday ~ Speechless ~ Saddened ~ Humbled ~ Honored - 01:14 PM
Wow....I just learned that my 1999 photo of the WTC will be included in the 911 Memorial Museum Collection. (color version)
Update: The thing that struck me most from the comments on this post, is that people would like to remember New York City, The World Trade Center and The Twin Towers as they once were. So I will post some aerials over the next few weeks from 1999-2000 of the Manhattan Skyline. … (73 comments)

ActiveRain HINTS - 09:53 AM
ActiveRain HINTSThis morning I was talking with someone about how I felt like a blind pig finding an acorn when I started on ActiveRain.  After someone had told me about AR, I thought, "I'd like to blog someday," so I signed up for a year.  Several months later, after having received a few emails from AR, I wrote my first blog post, and was so excited that I got four or five comments on it.  I kept wondering where in the world those people had seen it to comment on it.  I was in awe, but could never figure out how … (165 comments)

The Truth is Out Now - I’m Having a Love Affair with Eugene! - 11:14 PM

I’m in the midst of an intense love affair with Eugene.  I’m not ashamed of it and want the world to know the truth: I love living in Eugene, Oregon!  My wife and I moved here over seven years ago without knowing a single person in the entire state.  Today, we can’t imagine living anywhere else.
 
Why do we have such an affinity for our chosen home?  To paraphrase Shakespeare, let us count the ways:
 
 Lots of fresh air and clean water  An abundance of trees and the ability to grow almost everything but cacti.  Four mild seasons, … (40 comments)

How Much Will My Home Sell For? - 10:49 AM
How Much Will My Home Sell For? Dear Liz, We've been thinking about selling our home, but need to know how much our home will sell for to help make the decision.  Can you help us determine what to expect?  We'd love to take advantage of the low interest rates to buy a new home, but we're not sure we can afford to leave the home we have. Thanks! Joe Public Dear Joe, First of all, YES, we can help you determine the expected selling price of your home, and that assessment won't cost you anything but some of your time … (80 comments)

Why Do You Think Readers Read Your Blog Posts and Who Are They ? - 08:48 PM
Why Do You Think Readers Read Your Blog Posts and Who Are They ?
This may seem a silly question because most of us think we add value to people's lives with our real estate information, market updates, community assets and events, etc. but since we don't usually talk to most of our readers, how do we know what is attracting them and keeping them interested.
What if we don't add specific value, do consumers stop reading us? Perhaps some do but I think because value is subjective we may often build followings for other reasons.
Among our peers here in … (45 comments)

Yes, Virginia, You Can Insult The Seller! - 10:28 PM
Yes Virginia, you can insult the seller.
Tonight we shall hear the tale of Ms. Virginia Buyer, a lassie who found a wonderful home that had been for sale for a long time. Virginia ASSUMED that the home's owner, Mr. D. Seller, only used his initial D because his first name was DESPERATE.
Although Virginia liked the house and knew it was a great value, she decided to see if she could get the house for a steal since she was positive she knew Mr. Seller's real first name. What else could his name be after all this time? He would … (40 comments)

UNEMPLOYED HOMEOWNERS CAN GET HELP WITH THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS - 05:15 PM
It's not always easy to track down the help you need but I want you to know that some  UNEMPLOYED HOMEOWNERS CAN GET HELP WITH THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS.
One place you can try is the HOME AFFORDABLE UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM 
If you are unemployed and eligible for unemployment benefits and the house is occupied by you as your primary residence then you might qualify for help.  Your payments may be reduced or even delayed for up to a year.  Please be sure you understand the program and whether there will be any future pay back. 
Freddie Mac has just announced that it will increase to 12 … (18 comments)

ActiveRain Newbie? My 3 Favorite Tips to Make Blogging Easier - 02:27 AM
ActiveRain Newbie? My 3 Favorite Tips to Make Blogging Easier
 
Although I’m still really an ActiveRain Newbie myself, having only joined last spring, there have been a few tips that I’ve picked up along the way that have made the blogging experience even more enjoyable.  I was chatting with a friend who’s considering starting a blog for her veterinary business, and our discussion made me think of my favourite tips for ActiveRain blogging:
 
1. Surround yourself with interesting folks that SHARE.  Sure, this isn’t a “techy” tip – but it really helps set you up for success.  If you … (105 comments)

Improve Your SEO Quickly With Photos in Your Posts - 05:15 AM
SEO Related Suggestions
As a contractor, I take a lot of photos on the jobsite; before and after pictures, photos to show owners what was done, photos for my own personal record. Of course there are many other photos that help in blogging, like local pictures, sunsets, and screenshots.
Photos can also be SEO optimized. Why would you want to do that? Well, the photos are in your blog which will aid in improving the site SEO. Often times it is easier the get a high ranking photo, which is linked to your site, as a means of reaching your target … (156 comments)

Previewing Houses is a BIG Waste of Time! - 03:38 PM
Previewing Houses is a BIG Waste of Time! Well, that's what I used to think.  
I've been in the business for several years, but always thought that previewing homes was a waste of time. I mistakenly thought the only reason to preview a home was if I had a buyer coming to the Dallas Fort Worth area. I did once decide to preview a few million dollar homes in Southlake and Westlake, but I did it for a "law of attraction" type reason. Like, if I am familiar with a million dollar home, then a million dollar home buyer would … (88 comments)

A Seller's letter of Love - 12:02 AM
A Seller's letter of Love
Every now and then you see something that just hits home the sadness of families having to move from their beloved home.
I was showing property last week, and in one of the homes that was a short sale, there was a letter to the buyer on the kitchen counter. While we stood there reading the itemized list of what this family loves about the home, it really hit home the fact that for one reason or another, they have to move because they really have no choice.
The lists mentioned how they loved … (110 comments)

SEO Is All About Anchor Text - 06:00 PM
Anchor text. What is it? Simple. When you link to a site, the text used in the link is the anchor text. Here is a link to my website. The anchor text of that link is "my website". Get it? Great.
So why does it matter? Well, anchor text is used by search engines to determine the pages relevance. A keyword typed into Google is going to return relevant results. How does Google know those results are relevant? Well, hopefully the content is relevant, but what happens when there are millions of other pages with similar content? That's where anchor text … (36 comments)

Do You Let The Sellers Tell You What To Do? - 12:01 AM
When you visit your doctor to get advice or a diagnosis, do you respect his/her professional opinion? Do you think your doctor is telling you what you want to hear, or what you need to know?
Think about this the next time you are on a listing appointment. Are you afraid to tell the seller what they need to know? Are you letting them tell you what they are or are not going to do? Are you going to take the listing anyway knowing that if they don't make your suggested changes or price the house where it needs to be, it isn't going to sell?
… (38 comments)

Did You Just Say, “There’s a Ghost Living in Your House?!" - 10:04 AM
 
Did You Just Say, “There’s a Ghost Living in Your House?!"
I was doing a staging consultation for a Realtor I work with and as I walked through the home taking notes the homeowner, Karen, a very nice woman talked about the home's history built 1886.
She went on to tell us in a nonplussed tone how there was a ghost of a young boy who hung himself back in the early 1900’s. Virginia and I both looked at her like she had two heads. She went on to say, “No, it’s not what you think, he’s a nice … (194 comments)


Blog posts


AAA 2 Diamond Rated USA Hotel for Sale Off I-65 in Southwestern Alabama - AL Real Estate - 03:48 PM
Alabama Hotel for Sale … (1 comments)

Orland Park Supply & Demand Chart 2011 - 12:08 PM
Orland Park Homes Supply & Demand Chart for All of 2011

We finally have our year-end statistics and the chart above shows us exactly what a Buyer's Market is.  The red lines represent active Orland Park homes for sale.  The blue line shows us homes that went under contract for the month.  The green line shows homes that sold and closed.
One thing I especially like about this chart is that it shows us what months showed the most activity in each category.  August had the largest supply of homes for sale.  More homes went under contract in May and … (2 comments)

ActiveRain – My Real Estate Partner - 08:46 PM
ActiveRain – My Real Estate Partner
I was going over the Community Guidelines and the last part of it talks about us being a Community and connecting with people. To me this may be the most important part of the Community Guidelines.
See I work alone. I have lenders, escrow people and such I talk to during the day; but I am a loner. I have my Broker's license and I am Home Point Real Estate. Maybe someday I will have an assistant or an agent working for me. But I don't want that now. In my last business I … (8 comments)

Wordless Wednesday - Brotherly and Sisterly Love - 11:44 AM
Brotherly and Sisterly Love... so darn cute...

**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Austin Skylinewww.DonnaHomes.comDonna@DonnaHomes.comaustin-texas-homes-for-sale.com
Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 
For real time Austin TX listings,click here.** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **Copyright© 2012 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
* … (17 comments)

Stanislaus County Short Sales - Do You Qualify For a Short Sale? - 07:53 PM
Stanislaus County Short Sales - Do You Qualify For  a Short Sale?
If you are falling behind in your mortgage payments and you owe more than your home is worth you might be thinking about a Stanislaus County short sale.  Almost everyone by now has heard of a short sale.  That's when you sell your home for less than what you owe on it and your mortgage company accepts the amount you sell it for. 
But your mortgage company will not agree to a short sale just because you are upside down in your mortgage.  You must have a verifiable … (4 comments)

The Residential Specialist..CRS Page 10! - 10:06 PM
 
Two months ago, I received this email: "Hi, Just got your name from my editor at The Residential Specialist.....Got time to talk this week?..." My response, "I am available tonight." Thank you Dan Tynan for the email, the phone call and the article in the CRS magazine.  
For the results of that email and the follow up interview....check out page 10 of the latest edition of The Residential Specialist.
My copy arrived today. 
                                         
                                                                                             
                                                     #######                                                                     

 
 
 
… (23 comments)

Broker Bryant is by far The Best Agent Ever!!! - 10:48 PM
Hey...I didn’t write it. I’m just sharing it as I received it.Buyer testimonial received 1-18-2012
As a first time home buyer I did the one thing everyone tells you not to do – I fell head over heels in love – with a house.  This house had me written all over it – everything I wanted in a house, from location to size and everything in between was me.  But it had one major problem… it was in foreclosure for two years and at the point I found Bryant it had been taken off the market completely.  Everyone told me I … (14 comments)

Have a Warm Heart at the Polar Plunge at Matty's Bar in New Berlin Wisconsin - 06:13 AM
 
 
 
   
 
You have heard it before....No one has a warmer heart that Matt Anderson....our pal, your host at Matty's Bar in New Berlin, Wisconsin  and we know you won't want to miss your opportunity to add a little spark to those winter blues....and join the Polar Plunge ! Yes sports fans...to entertain ourselves....and others...AND most importantly, raise money for the ever deserving, Special Olympics, the brave of heart and warm of blood jump...wade, paddle the chilly waters of Muskego Lake and have a great time doing it !
   You can choose...TAKE THE PLUNGE....OR Be TOO CHICKEN … (9 comments)

Year End Real Estate Update for Bucks County & Yardley - 07:23 PM
Time to take a look at what happened in our real estate market in Bucks County and Yardley in 2011.
As noted on the Bucks County real estate chart below, we can see that the number of houses sold in all of Bucks County was 3% less than the number of houses sold in 2010.  (There were still 4423 homes sold in Bucks County in 2011).  The number of homes sold in December of 2011 though, was 11.6% higher than in December of 2010.  This was the sixth consecutive month that unit sales in the County were higher than the previous … (3 comments)

Business & Life Plan for 2012 in 15 Days - A Plan that Works for YOU! - 08:54 AM
I searched many Business plans throughout the years and have used many during my 16 years in the business but when I started reading Anna's post it was as if a light went off from day 1 to day 15 you can have a simple plan and put it into action. If you didn't get it done in November or December then start now. If you don't know where you're going then any plan will do but if you need some guidance check it out.
Via Anna 'Banana' Kruchten - Phoenix AZ Broker,CRS 602-380-4886 (Phoenix Property Shoppe):
Business  & Life Plan for 2012 in … (0 comments)

Remembering Trust - 09:01 AM
Dick Greenberg has written a great article on TRUST, which is a vary rare commodity thes days. A lot of folks have lost their trust and belief in our country, leaders and even at the local level. We need Ole Trust back and we all can make it happen so join in "do the right thing".
Via Dick Greenberg Coldwell Banker - Fort Collins, CO (Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate):
Yeah, I remember that Trust guy. He was something else - seemed like he was everywhere. You couldn't do anything without him being involved, and just having him there made everyone comfortable … (1 comments)

Remove your Smoke Detectors, Unbuckle Your Seat Belt - 07:52 PM
Today Ask Gina & Company welcomes guest blogger and Richmond Realtor, Shannon Milligan, to give us some insight into an important topic – Radon.
 
 
Remove your Smoke Detectors, Unbuckle Your Seat Belt
Sounds crazy, right? You would never tell anyone to remove their smoke detectors or unbuckle their seat belt, would you? And neither would I. We take so many precautions to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and yet many are missing the mark on one very important thing – Radon Testing.
Did you know that Radon is estimated to be the second leading cause of lung … (2 comments)

Successfully Stage your Brandon Home for a Quick Sell - 11:15 PM

Selling your Brandon home in today’s economy may not be as simple as it used to be, but with an experienced Realtor® and strategic home staging, you can successfully stage your home to appeal to many buyers for little to no money at all.
Take note of these simple ways to stage to your home to start attracting serious buyers.
Cleaning up the clutter The first step to properly stage your home is to get rid of the clutter or repurpose some of your accessories.  If your home is packed with oversized furniture or lots of personal collections, it will … (0 comments)

South Barrington Real Estate - How's The Market? - 10:23 AM
South Barrington Real Estate - 2011 Year End Review January 18th 2012 already! This month is flying by so I must get the remaining market reports done for 2012. Today we'll review South Barrington real estate sales during the last year. In case you are a first time reader or not a local, South Barrington real estate is known for it's luxury homes in the zip code 60010. South Barrington real estate has suffered alongside the rest of the zip code. Values have fallen, sales have slowed and while not a majority of the market, we have not been immune to … (1 comments)

Hawthorn Woods Real Estate - 2011 Good Year, Bad year? - 04:25 PM
A Review of Hawthorn Woods Real Estate Market in 2011 If I said that 103 homes sold in Hawthorn Woods in 2011 and that the volume of sales amounted to over $46 million would you consider that to be good, bad or indifferent? We can only look at the previous few years to use as a benchmark to judge whether Hawthorn Woods real estate transactions were better. Rather than produce a chart for Hawthorn Woods real estate sales last year I thought I would just post the numbers.
2011 - Homes sold 103...Average sale $453,509 2010 - Homes sold 66...Average sale $459,860 … (4 comments)

Yes, Virginia, You Can Insult The Seller! - 10:28 PM
Yes Virginia, you can insult the seller.
Tonight we shall hear the tale of Ms. Virginia Buyer, a lassie who found a wonderful home that had been for sale for a long time. Virginia ASSUMED that the home's owner, Mr. D. Seller, only used his initial D because his first name was DESPERATE.
Although Virginia liked the house and knew it was a great value, she decided to see if she could get the house for a steal since she was positive she knew Mr. Seller's real first name. What else could his name be after all this time? He would … (40 comments)

Structuring the Ideal Work Week - 03:21 PM
If you’re looking to make this year a more productive year than last year, you’re in the right place. Keep reading.
 

 

 

 

There’s nothing worse than starting a new year with the feeling that your wheels just aren’t fully on the ground for the kind of traction you need in today’s real estate market. My 20-plus years of coaching and helping real estate agents have taught me that it all begins with taking control of your time.

And more specifically, it starts with an ideal work week. A week that keeps you on … (0 comments)

Schaumburg Homes - How did the real estate market end up for 2011? - 01:08 PM
Positive Signs continue in our Schaumburg Real Estate Market for the last 9 months. We are moving ahead with recovery here and sales have successfully reached above the 2010 level of closings.  
The December totals for Schaumburg Single Family Homes are now 16% above 2010 closings and Schaumburg Multi-Family are now down 6% over 2010.  So our local market has totally flip flopped (again) between the single family and attached. Homes have taken an extreme slow down and the attached housing is selling steady and finished with a bang!
For Schaumburg there are still no price gains calculated with foreclosures still leading the … (4 comments)

Jensen Beach Florida Market Report ZIP Code 34957 –Condo, December 2011 - 06:40 AM
Jensen Beach Florida Market Report ZIP Code 34957 –Condo, December 2011  
Jensen Beach Real Estate Snapshot for ZIP Code 34957, Condo Sales for December 2011  
For December, 2011 in the 34957 Zip Code area of Jensen Beach, Florida (Martin County) :(Due to technical difficulties the November Market Snapshot data was unavailable)
 
There are currently 65 active listings. (Up 6 from November)
 
11 Condo sales are pending and awaiting close or lender approval. (Down 1 condo from November)
 
6 Condo Sold (An increase of 4 condos from November)
   
After two months of disappointing results for the Jensen Beach condo market report (ZIP Code 34957) we’ve had a slight improvement for … (6 comments)

Spacious Palm City Waterfront Home – Open House - 08:22 PM
Spacious Palm City Waterfront Home – Open House Join your host Stephanie Gray on Sunday, January 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. to view this secluded spacious Palm City Waterfront Home 5 BR, 3 BA, Pool Home with 4 Car Garage and Ocean Access Dock and LiftOnly $550,000  
Spacious 5 BR Waterfront Pool Home on almost an Acre in Palm City  
More Pictures and Information
 
 
Search for Palm City Waterfront Homes

View all of our Listings
Palm City Real Estate is presented by:
the Gabe Sanders real estate team
Price Reduced on Spacious Palm City Waterfront Home … (3 comments)

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