Andrew Killingsworth - 's Blog

Referral from Active Rain!

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:16:35 -0500

I recently was contacted by fellow Active Rainer, Becky Respess, who informed me that there was a person who wants to sell some property here in San Angelo. It came from another Realtor in Corpus Christi named Nadia. When I found out that this potential client had around 20 properties here that they are wanting to sell, my jaw dropped.

I've been blogging somewhat regularly for about 8 months now and so far have not seen much monetary results. Needless to say these properties listed with me are a large chunk of change. If you keep at it, blogging can increase your marketing efforts online for little or no money.

If you get discouraged, reach out to someone who seems to be successful at blogging and real estate and get some insight from them. They are successful for a reason. Thanks for reading and check back soon.

Sorry So Late....

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:47:15 -0500

Hey everyone! It's been a looooong time since I've blogged on AR. I guess I have grown a little dissillusioned with the format here as I have since started two blogs (insidesanangelo.com - personal, and realtalksanangelo.com - office). Insidesanangelo.com has done really well with the search engines in less than four months of being live. Realtalksanangelo.com is a multiauthor blog for my office, Coldwell Banker Patterson Properties. I have yet to convince the majority of agents of its value. Any suggestions? Although a few early adopters have taken to blogging quite well.

Other news, our office had its awards banquet and many of our top producers were honored with awards. We are gearing up for April's Open House extravaganza! We hope to get 20 open houses in one weekend. This was really good last year and I hope it is even bigger this year. The Goodfellow Military Appreciation Picnic will be next month and I am ready to man the popcorn machine again. We had a blast last year as the #1 volunteer group. The soldiers and families of soldiers sacrifice so much of themselves everyday, it is great to give them a weekend when they can relax.

Once again check out our new blog realtalksanangelo.com. I will have more info about it later. It's full of real estate advice, market reports and san angelo information. Until next time,

Peace,

Andrew

InsideSanAngelo.com

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:01:32 -0600

Hey ya'll AR is great for interacting with agents...and localism is good for consumers. However I have started an independant blog at my own url to better customize and control my own content. Taking this approach, in my opinion, is going to benefit me in the long-run more so than AR. I get some great feedback here and have met some very cool people, but this network is like myspace is to linkedin. Hardly anybody goes to linkedin to sit around and chat. And the reverse is true. Myspace is rarely used for business. My new blog is meant to be a combination of both. Where users can find a wealth of info on San Angelo real estate and also find an amusing article with a hint of sarcasm and wit. Link building is also made MUCH easier with a blogging platform other than AR. I use wordpress and it suits me very well. I'd like to see some comments on this so get typing!

InsideSanAngelo.com | A Blog About Real Estate in San Angelo

Multi-Chem comes to San Angelo

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:53:37 -0600

It was announced earlier that Multi-Chem Group LLC will be moving its headquarters to San Angelo, Texas in 2008. We are very excited about this news and will look forward to the boost it should bring to our economy. If you are an employee of Multi-Chem and you need to find a home before moving to San Angelo. You can contact me or check out my website. I also have a blog concerning San Angelo real estate issues as well as news and current events. Here is the original article about Multi-Chem.

InsideSanAngelo.com Real Estate Blog

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:10:18 -0600

Home Warranties are a way to protect your home from costly repairs. You pay a yearly fee and if anything covered by the warranty needs servicing or replacing then you only pay a low service fee and the item is fixed or replaced. This is different from homeowner's insurance. Depending on your level of coverage, things that may be covered...Continued in my new San Angelo real estate blog, InsideSanAngelo.com

San Angelo Neighborhood Info and Statistics

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:12:20 -0600

In the next few posts I will be doing an in-depth analysis of San Angelo neighborhoods. In our market, areas of the city are designated with letters. In part one we will be looking at Area A which includes Southland and Twin Oaks neighborhoods. Here is a bit of stats for the area:

Continued here at insidesanangelo.com, your guide to life in San Angelo...

5 reasons to move to San Angelo

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 16:09:03 -0600

In no particular order:

1. The Weather: San Angelo has a mild climate for most of the year. We've got what some have deemed the ten month summer. Today January 6, 2008 it is 78 degrees outside with a cool breeze. Occasional snowfall in the winter gives you the traditional feeling of the season but mostly between 40-60 degrees all winter. Bring a fan and a cool water bottle in the summer as the temperature does rise to triple digits sometimes. But a good airconditioner and glass of iced tea can cure the heat in no time.

2. The People: San Angeloans are as friendly as they come. It's not unusual to get a wave from pedestrians or someone holding the door for you at convenience stores. Conversation is never scarce at a local bar or restaurant. All around good folks here in San Angelo.

3. The Food: San Angelo is a host to many MANY great restaurants. The main fair is Tex-Mex, Burgers, and Steak but we have some exotic selections as well. Henry's diner, Fuentes downtown, Chilangos, Los Panchitos, Fernandos, Francos, Corner Stop, Diego's burritos are just a few of the many great tex-mex joints that I have deemed delicious. As for American cuisine, Zentners Daughter (Zentners is now deceased, though soon to be resurrected under a new name) Charcoal House, Bodacious BBQ, Pack Saddle, Texas Road House, Logans, Cheddars, Chilis, and Old Time Pit BBQ have some of the best barbeque and steak in town. For exotic dining you can choose from China Garden, Lin's Buffet, Bambo Garden, Nakamura Sushi Bar (that's right sushi in San Angelo!) Red Pepper, and many more. Upscale dining for the more refined taste can be found at Peasant Village, The Silo, and The River Terrace. My mouth is watering already!

4. The Nightlife: If you like fun and entertainment we have everything you need. Whether your taste is Country music, Rock and Roll, Latin, or even Heavy Metal or Rockabilly, there is a music venue here for you. Country music plays all night at Grahams Central Station, the Coachman, and Blaines. Rock and Roll enthusiasts will get a kick out of Steel Penny Pub, Oasis, The Deadhorse, and several others. Tejano and Cumbia can be found at Grahams, the Roxy, and others.

Last but certainly not least,

5. The market: San Angelo's real estate market has been isolated from nationwide downturns. Our housing prices have steadily increased by 2-4% yearly in most areas of town. If you are looking to invest, buy your first home, or retire, you can rest assured that with proper maintenance and care, your home should hold its value for resale.

If you or anyone you know are considering moving to San Angelo, or just have questions about San Angelo real estate, please call or email me.

Happy Holidays from Agent Andrew!

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:40:58 -0600

Agent Andrew here wishing you a happy holiday season. Christmas tends to bring out the best in us all. The spirit of giving is all around. Here at Coldwell Banker Patterson Properties we are getting into the holiday spirit. The Marine Corps Reserve has been collecting toys for children in their Toys for Tots program. As a sponsor, Coldwell Banker Patterson Properties collected many toys that will be donated around Christmas to some very deserving families. Also, being a helpful part of our community here in San Angelo is very important. We are having a military appreciation banquet for our single parent and deployed families from Goodfellow Air Force Base. This will include a full Christmas dinner with all the fixings, fun games for the kids, and an appearance from Santa himself! I know this will be fun for all and it means alot to our brothers and sisters that have served our country so bravely.

My first testimonial!

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:54:35 -0500

Hello from San Angelo! My first seller from my first listing got me to my first closing last month and now I have my first satisfied client! He wrote me a letter about his experience. I would like to share it with you now:

"To whom it may concern:

Andrew Killingsworth was my real estate agent and I told him I needed to sell my house as soon as possible. Two and a half weeks later he had it sold.

He was very organized and professional and I highly recommend him.

Rex Oliver"

Needless to say I am very excited about this. It's nice to get some validation especially being a young person just starting in this business. If anyone has any good stories about past clients and/or first time stories please comment below. Make it a wonderful day!

Andrew

Search all San Angelo property listings and homes for sale

2007 Taste of San Angelo

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:02:51 -0500

The 2007 Taste of San Angelo was this Tuesday and my friend Tori (who is a wonderful hairdresser btw) and I went to partake in the festivities. There were SOOOO many vendors including Outback, Cheddars, IHOP, Sam's Club, Chili's, Bodacious BBQ, Johnny Carino's, Olive Garden, Double Dave's Pizza, Annheiser Busch, HEB, Pinkies, and Coca-cola, and many many many more! It was a foodie's paradise. I tried to get to every booth but since there were over 30 I couldn't sample all of the dishes. One of my collegues from our office set up a booth. I was semi-jelous but then she didn't get the full benefit of all the food. The deliciousness of the event didn't stop me from doing a little bit of schmoozing and networking. I met some new prospects and had a great time doing it. Everyone that missed it should strongly consider going next year. The $20 ticket was well worth it. One of the many joys of being a San Angelo real estate agent being able to go to these kind of events with friends, have a good time, and make precious contacts in the same night (provided you don't sample too much wine :) ) For all my friends here on AR, let's exchange stories of similar happenings in your town. I would love to hear about it! Signing off from Angelo,

Agent Andrew

2007 San Angelo Business Showcase

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:33:56 -0500

2007 Busines Showcase!

The 2007 San Angelo Business Showcase was a blast! I had a great time with my fellow agents at our Coldwell Banker booth. Our main attraction (besides me) was a drawing for a stuffed golden retriever. We had many people estimate the number of jelly beans in the jar for a chance to win our beloved mascot. I also had a great time at the silent auction. There were lots of cool things to bid on. I did not win :(. Despite my small setback at the auction, we did enjoy barbecue and some beverages provided by Annheiser Busch and Texas Roadhouse. I met many people as I perused the booths. I most enjoyed the ones with an all out theme. One was a north pole themed booth and another was an Asian inspired theme. The overall theme for the showcase was Around the World. I am very excited to come back next year for another fun filled day of showcasing my business. As always have a blessed day and take care of each other.

-Andrew

Closing, closing, closing...

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:48:25 -0500

I am in the real estate business for one reason: To make a living! There are several ways to make a living in real estate whether you are an investor, an agent, or just an average person buying or selling your property. Being an agent I have more insight as to what selling homes REALLY involves. My broker asked me recently what my job description was. I went on and on about paperwork, market research, and working with people. He stopped me and said "We do all of that...you are right but what is your MAIN job here?" I am not really good at cryptic questions or riddles, especially on the spot. I finally gave up and he said "Your job is to go out and find people that need to buy or sell real estate." And I realized then that he is right. ABC (Always be Closing) has been one of my mantra's since I got in this business. Closing doesn't just mean the part of a real estate transaction where buyer and seller sign papers and I get paid. You can close on anything. Closing on a contact, an appointment, on a listing, and yes on a complete transaction. But something I need to remember about closing "the deal" is that the deal is never closed. There are always more deals that will come from that first one. Referrals, visibility, and experience and just a few of the things that I take with me as I close deals and progress in my career. Sometimes we can be stifled by fear of rejection or embarassment. It can also be tough to perform when you have people in your life that expect a lot from you. The life that I have always wanted, and the satisfaction of achieving my goals is attainable. But life is a collection of moments that must be navigated carefully to end up at my ideal destination. To find a true direction in my career, and life, I cannot be a bystander floating thru the river of time helpless. I must actively seek out a path by opening and closing only those doors that could lead to success. So the ending of one deal signals the beginning of another. Though it could all be missed if I had not committed to "Always be Closing."

4109 Green Meadow San Angelo, TX

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 21:24:15 -0500

strong>New Listing in a Great San Angelo Neighborhood

This patio home is in the Bonham, Lee, and Central school districts. It is 1742 sq. ft. with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. A two-car garage has plenty of space and has an extra storage room. There are two patios in the backyard with one accessible from the living room and the other from the master bedroom. Beautiful hardwood floors, custom colors, and matching curtains are some of the amenities included in this wonderful property.This piece of San Angelo real estate has everything a buyer can ask for. It is priced at $159,900 and will not last long! Here are some pictures:

Front

Kitchen

Living Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Guest Bedroom

Guest Bathroom

Large Patio

Please contact me, Agent Andrew with Coldwell Banker Patterson Properies, for a private showing.

The Power of Mass Mailers

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 21:00:54 -0500

As you can read in my last post I got a new listing in a very desirable area. I have made a marketing plan and part of that plan includes a mass mail to the area proclaiming my new listing. I was amazed to receive a call from a neighbor today as this was the first day it was officially on the market. I use quantummail.com and it is a simple system and it is about as expensive as regular postage. It has custom graphics for all major offices and their logos. Time will tell if this call today was a fluke and might have happened if I had mailed or not. I would love to hear from more experienced agents on this subject. Have you had long-term success with just listeds and just sold mailings? Any tips for me on copy or image selection? Thanks in advance for your input.

Andrew

Another Great Post by Agent Andrew

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:57:30 -0500

I am getting a new listing this week in a great neighborhood at a very great price. I couldn't be happier! I have been trying to get a listing like this since I have been working with CB Patterson. I hope that everyone will come look at this house. Check back to this page for more info on the house and its details. I have had a great week doing lots of work for listings. I am working on a new strategy to reach more people with my marketing campaign "Agent Andrew: Licensed to Sell." I ran an ad in the San Angelo Standard Times this weekend and got some great response. It seems like all you need to do to get noticed here is run an ad in the paper. I am thinking of placing an ad for my new listing. Sunday seemed to get the best resonse. It seems like a good investment and will probably result in a lot of buzz for the property. That's exactly how I want it. I want sellers to see that I am not a passive agent who will put up a sign and put their home in MLS and sit back and wait for calls. I am committed to selling their home any way I can! I feel this will set me apart from other agents. All in all it's been a great week! Thanks so much for you time,

Agent Andrew

San Angelo Neighborhoods

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:09:47 -0500

San Angelo Neighborhoods

San Angelo has many great neighborhoods that are great for growing families or those looking to settle down. I will post another blog soon about each neighborhood and show pictures of each with info on parks, shopping, and schools. The neighborhoods in San Angelo have alot to offer. I, along with Coldwell Banker Patterson Properties, can show you what it is like to buy or sell your home in San Angelo. Please check back. Thanks for your time.

Andrew

Listing Presentations

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:25:25 -0500

I went on a listing presentation today and I will be getting it filed tomorrow. I got this lead from a mutual friend who is in a band with this guy. The presentation was pretty formal, but I did use a lot of what I have learned from other agents and my training. It went well but I wonder about how it would have gone if it had been an unfamiliar person. Can anyone give me some stories about listing presentations or ways to get a potential client to list? Thanks in advance for any advice.

Showing Your Listings

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 01:22:51 -0500

So this morning I get a call from a potential buyer for my Christoval property. I am very excited at the possibility of selling my own listing especially since it has only been a week on the market. She is a first time home buyer and a single mom. The house is very affordable for her but she needs help to get there. I know that I have an obligation to the seller and I don't forsee any conflicts of interest but I know there are issues with agency and fiduciary here. What does everyone think about showing your own listings to unrepresented buyers? And do you have any stories about times when your obligation to your seller has been tested? I am anxious to hear from some experienced agents. Let the comments begin!

Open House Tomorrow

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:32:01 -0500

I am doing an open house tomorrow at a house on Avenue M in San Angelo, Tx. I have done many open houses but I have never gotten to a closing with a client or customer that I met at an open house. Here is a copy of my flyer for the house:

It doesn't really transfer well but the printed version looks great. I am curious about ways to hold an open house. I don't know all the little tricks to make the house more appealing. Usually I arrive a half an hour early to set up. Also, do y'all give a "tour" to each visitor or do you just let them look around. I don't want to be too pushy but I also want to point out the good features of the house. Another thing is the sign-in sheet. SOOOOOOOOOOOO many people just don't want to sign in with all the info requested. I usually say "Please sign in" before they even get to look at the house. I am thinking of giving a small gift or food or something in return for giving me the FULL info requested. Has anyone had any luck with this? I would love to hear about your experiences in open houses and your tips and tricks to making it a successful one. Thanks for your time,

Andrew

My Random Real Estate Rant

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:24:40 -0500

Today after painstakingly searching for FSBO's at Lake Nasworthy I came across a gem of a lake house that had been on the market for almost a year with not much activity and is now FSBO. After calling from my office I quickly realized that this seller had a bad experience with a Realtor...Realtor(S) rather...an experience which I will share with you now. He explained that he had listed with another Realtor here in town and that in over 8 months there were less than three showings. I can safely say it was not because of the house or the seller as I have seen inside the house and spoken to the seller at length. He then told me that he has had more showings in less than a month being FSBO. I am 0 for 1 on getting this guy to list. So I ask him if I can have a few minutes of his time to meet him and show how I would be different than the previous Realtor. He says in a stark and pungent tone "No..." 0 for 2....So I asked if I can call back if I have a buyer and get a one-time showing to which he agrees. So I count that as 1/2. 1/2 for 3....not bad. We exchange goodbyes and hang up. After stepping away from my desk for a moment I come back to a missed call. It was Mr. FSBO. He apologized for being somewhat short with me and I said I understand. Then he explains the most profound disservice any agent has done a potential client. A woman had contacted him and said that one particular Realtor had told her not to look at the house due to a foundation crack and that the house was falling into the water. None of which were true. The seller welcomed her to get an inspection and is now selling the house himself at a not-so-insignificant $350k. Revenge should not be in a Realtor's vocab and I can't imagine how one justify it. Please, when you feel like freaking out and doing something STUPID...take a moment and a deep breathe....please for us all.

Managing My Time

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:49:14 -0500

Have you ever sat down and documented your time down to the hour for a week? Well that's what I am doing this week at Coldwell Banker Patterson Properties in San Angelo. As many of you know Coldwell Banker has a training program for new agents called "Fast Start." We are learning about time management today and our project this week is to document our time for the week. How many hours am I prospecting? Paperwork? Lunch? Errands? Appointments? and the list goes on. Most people don't realize how much time is spent on "getting ready to get ready" or busy-work. I am really focused on prospecting at this point in my career since I am new and can't rely on past client referrals. I have been working my sphere of influence and getting some good leads from that. Active Rain has boosted my search engine results rank and I am generating some traffic to my San Angelo Real Estate website AgentAndrew.net. I am also strategizing on how to maximize listings from FSBO's and expired's but that is a topic for another post another time. Right now I am taking property calls but the call volume is pretty low. I get to multi-task by doing that as I blog here! I hope this post has been insightful and feel free to comment if you have something to say. Thanks for your time,

Andrew

San Angelo Real Estate

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:48:38 -0500

New Listing in Christoval, Texas!

Introducing 4515 Mckee in Christoval Texas. This 2 bedroom 1 bath home in Christoval Texas has small town charm but is just 20 minutes from San Angelo. There is an antique stove that is included in the property. You can view it in the pictures below. Appliances that come with the property include refrigerator, electric oven/stove, dishwasher(defunct), and a washer and dryer set. Mature landscaping is found throughout the property with two recently added storage buildings. The roof is less than one year old. This home is approximately 940 sq. ft. and is priced at $40,000. Contact me at andrew@cbpatterson.com if you want to view this property in person. You can view this and other San Angelo real estate listings at my site AgentAndrew.net! Here are the pictures:

front

side

back

master

master alternate view

bedroom 2 (stove)

bedroom 2 alternate view

bathroom

kitchen

dining

San Angelo Real Estate and San Angelo Property Listings at AgentAndrew.net

Link Trading

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:10:05 -0500

BUILDING MY WEB EMPIRE ONE LINK AT A TIME

I am on a mission to increase my web traffic by swapping links with other relevant pages. I know this is a tedious task but I am undaunted in the face of such a huge task. The Active Rain community has been great to me thus far and I hope that I can forge some great professional relationships. If you are interested in seeing my site and linking to me you can check it out here. San Angelo Real Estate. Thanks in advance for any help.

Andrew

Lake houses in San Angelo

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 11:10:40 -0500

San Angelo Lake Front Property

Looking for a lake house in Texas? San Angelo has some of the best around! Lake Nasworthy is great for fishing, boating, and watersports. Whether you are looking for a small cabin to hang your hat after a long day of fishing or a larger house to entertain friends and family, I can find what your heart desires on San Angelo's wonderful Lake Nasworthy. We also offer vacant lots for building your perfect custom lake house. Check out some of the views from our lake:

San Angelo Sunrise

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:13:11 -0500

Hey everyone! I am new to the active rain network and want to get involved as much as possible. I would like to know what I can do to enhance my presence on this site and on search engines as well. I have researched alot about SEO and this site has a great presence in the SERPs. Hopefully I can continue to post some more blogs as this is the beginning of my experience with active rain. I consider this the sunrise of a new career and I hope to make some great connections here. Thanks in advance for any help,

Andrew

san angelo real estate