Active Rain
-
Quick Tour
Connect. Share. Learn.Welcome to ActiveRain, the #1 social community for real estate professionals.- Explore the world's largest storehouse of real estate knowledge
- Access free training on ActiveRain University
- Share the experience of life in the real estate industry
- Grow your business through real estate blogging
- Blogs
-
Resources
Product Reviews Curious as to what others in your profession think about a certain product or tool? AR's community takes the time to leave honest and transparent reviews of their experiences so you can be a bit wiser about your purchase.
- Broken down by categories and subcategories for easy finds
- Get an unfiltered look at what real users are saying
- Leave a review yourself for others to benefit from
- Add new products as you use them and gain points for doing so
|
Are you an ActiveRain shot caller?
Occasionally, it isn't unusual for our emails to have a little glitch downloading from our server...GoDaddy. Usually though it only lasts for ten or fifteen minutes. Not that big of a deal. Yesterday that irritating little message popped up when we tried to catch up on emails stating that the server can't be found. We waited. Tried again. Waited. Then I tried to log on to the server and check emails that way. Nothing. Bizarre. Kiddingly I said to Leslie, can you imagine the chaos if something happened to GoDaddy? Ha Ha, not so funny. According to some online … (79 comments)
EVER WANTED TO OWN A PARADE OF HOMES' SHOWCASE MODEL HOME? YOU CAN AT FOUNDERS POINTE...visit this waterfront community this fall, move in your dream home next spring. 
Chase has reacted quicly to its obligation that was brokered under the February 2012 settlement with 49 out of 50 state Attorney Generals (Oklahoma was sleeping that day, I suppose - LOL). Thanks to the foreclosure fraud settlement in February between 49 of 50 state attorneys general and the top five “mega-banks” in the industry, some Chase customers are getting automatic loan modifications without even having to file paperwork. The lenders apparently receive “extra credit” for responding quickly. Accordingly, Chase has decided to automatically modify thousands of loans in order to meet its $4.2 billion pledge toward mortgage relief. The borrowers … (12 comments)
To prepare for having their home on the market, Sellers often invest lots of time and energy. The bathrooms and kitchen are scrubbed like never before, before the first Realtor is even invited for the listing appointment. The landscaping spruced up (we all know about the curb appeal!), and in general the property has never looked better than the day the home goes on the market.
I hear all the time that sellers and Realtors believe that home staging just isn't worth the investment in properties that are "underwater". Short sales, or listings where the seller has to bring money to the closing table often discount the idea of home staging completely. Agents are afraid to tell the seller that 'more money' needs to be spent and sellers feel frustrated and angry at the thought. Today I'm going to share two videos with you showing the point of view from the Stager (me) and from a home seller. I was not the stager or the agent … (48 comments)
The Crazy Days are Back, New Construction Stretches Out Labor Shortages Causing Longer Lead Times Today I worked with a customer contracting to build/buy a new home in Naples. Contract to move-in time was quoted to be nine months! Now, we're talking about a nice home but it is a builder's tract home model.What's causing the delay? In general, a labor shortage. Homes are lined up just waiting for the availability of labor and material to start the next phase.
9/11 to Some...September 11 to Others..As Long As We Remember.I’d imagine that a great majority of people woke today and thought about where they were on 9/11/2001. It is etched in so many people’s hearts and minds.... we feel an ache when the day is even mentioned. Much has gone on since that day... that is the way life is and must be. It is important to go on. 
Among friends recently a conversation was started about there being "less" tuna in a can of tuna these days. There was my family used to make 4 sandwiches, now we can barely cover two slices of bread. Yet the smaller can of tuna costs more. And you will find similar to the tuna the same to be true all over your grocery store. My "50 lb" bag of dog food is now 44 lbs. And while I admit it's a bit easier to get into the cart and the car it lightens my wallet the same as before. And there are … (36 comments)
What is Your Real Estate Agent's Modus Operandi? I pride myself in knowing the Franklin TN real estate market very well. I preview lots of homes and produce monthly market reports for many of the Franklin TN neighborhoods. As a result, when a new house comes on the market, I instinctively know whether it is priced right. After all, I look at the numbers very closely every month. Imagine my surprise, when I saw a new listing come on the market priced about $150,000 higher than the most recent comparable sales for this neighborhood. To top it off, within two weeks … (56 comments)
In the past couple weeks, a local property management company was placed “on hold” because of a substantial amount of funds discovered “missing” during an audit from a trust account that held owners monies. As things unveiled, owners realized they probably won’t get their upcoming rents, started looking around for other property management companies to take over their rental investment. 
Learn about Effective Real Estate Marketing from the ActiveRain MeetUp at the Texas Realtors Conference in San Antonio, TX in September 2012.
Carlsbad Coastal Cleanup Day at Tamarack State Beach September 15, 2012 
Hmmmm....
Sometimes It’s Best To Remain Silent
How does one determine which posts to make public and which ones should be for members only? I continually read posts that are to members only by rainmakers, and if I had written them, they would have been "public." I think many agents are missing the opportunity to use these posts to market themselves as “marketers.” Yes, we are in the business of marketing!!! We are marketing agents!!
Compromise is Not a Dirty Word No, I am not talking politics....although the same premise does apply there as well. I am talking real estate. In most real estate transactions, there is a fair amount of compromise.....price, repairs, and other terms are all negotiated. Too often I find parties digging in their heels about who is "right" and what is "fair". Right and fair really depend on perspective. Every once in a while I have a deal where the other side is not moving on anything and it seems empirically unfair. Most of the time, it seems that from … (20 comments)
I remember a lot of that day eleven years ago, but more about the days after. Vividly, violently confronted with the previously unimaginable, people in the NY metro area clung to each other in their horror and grief. From this vulnerability came tenderness and kindness.
I don't imagine I'm the only relatively new agent who is, by nature, an introvert and wonders, "how do I break into the real estate business, a business ruled by extroverts with 30+ years of experience?" I had concerns about being "aggressive enough" to properly represent my clients when I've spent most of my life as a peacekeeper. I've been on caravans and open houses where the agents seemed to know everything and it rolled so easily off their tongues. Their knowlege about the market was impressive and comprehensive to the point of being a little scary! I trembled at the thought … (25 comments)
Don't scream at me....I don't take that crap from anyone and certainly not in business. The agent was rude, abrupt and he threatened to kill the deal. "Kill the deal", and make sure you tell your clients you did. I just don't get it, never will, keep screaming...see how it works for you because for me....not so much. This call is done and you moron, are a horses ass. That's what I came home to last night. Breathing, breathing, breathing.
I don't know about you but I must have a gift! I can create more excuses then several other people combined. And, some of my excuses are very creative. I sometimes wonder why that creativity does not come as easily for goals. If I focused on my goals maybe the excuses would subside.
… (2 comments)
Paperless Challenge In Progress Back in February 2011 there was an ActiveRain Paperless Challenge. The goal... to create a plan reducing the amount of paper used in real estate. Here are a few ways that allow me to use less paper but not quite paper-less. My listing agreements are on my iPad but I still keep a paper copy. Many of my clients do NOT use a computer, email or even faxes and I have to work around this situation. I still use MBAI forms and no longer keep a stack of out of date listing packets. I still print … (11 comments)
… (0 comments)
12540 Vincent Road in Mount Vernon, Ohio listing details and a virtual toiur of this wonderful country home with acreage. 
… (0 comments)
… (0 comments)
… (1 comments)
I get a call from the seller.
A Day to Remember!
By Bob Corcoran, Corcoran Coaching An annual equity update is a great way to stay in contact with your sphere of influence although this should be part of a larger sphere program. Not everyone in your sphere of influence will have purchased a home from you.
Real Estate Market Update - Northwest Suburbs - August 2012 So let's start with those housing questions you might have and the reason you're here! What is going on with the real estate market in the Northwest Suburbs? 
September 2012 Update on the Paper-less ChallengeDisclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
© 2013 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
