Holy Cow! What a week! Bookended with holidays, family (and just a little business...) it was tough keeping up, there were so many wonderful posts and so many great ideas it was fun to look over the notes, bookmarks and saved files for my first week in review. Being that it's the first time that I've done this... I "appropriated" many categories and ideas from Jeff Belongers W-I-R posts last month. Thanks Jeff!
CHRISTMAS SPECIALS:
With a wry grin (or grimace)some of us start the holiday just like any other day...on Christmas day Reneee Burrows takes an Interactive Meeting
and Scott Daniels takes a call in
New Generation of Realtors Part 19:It`s Christmas we don't give Showing Instructions today!
BEST STORIES:
Neal Pender learns from experience in:
Lessons Learned the Hard Way: 3. Love ‘em or they'll leave you
Something stinks in Randy Prothero's Is There a Skunk in Your Office?
Kristal Kraft mixes it up in Lessons we learn from the roadside of life
POSITIVE & FREE THINKING IDEAS:
Carole Cohen wants to help young people get started in:
Being Part of the Solution: Helping Young People Learn Good Finance Practices
Jeff Turner keeps his word in "I Promise" :: Those Are Some Strong Words
ABOUT A REGION & LOCAL CONTENT:
Loads of compelling information in:REAL ESTATE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA - A GUIDE FOR CONSUMERS by Lenn Harley
and Mitchell Hall brags on: Manhattan Neighborhood Market Report: CHELSEA: A Consumer Buyers Guide
Renee Burrows is positive in Vegas Las Vegas Valley, Nevada: Real Estate Has Never Been a Better Value!
MARKETING & MARKET STRATEGIES:
in See MapQuest for Directions Leanne Paynter is looking for some guidance
Christoper Walker suggests when taking over an expired that we check the: Protection after listing expiration. The Realtor safety clause.
Roberta Murphy is looking for sales from new sources: US Real Estate a Bargain for International Buyers?
Home stager Val Alloco asks for opinions about direct mail: MAILERS: MARKETING MARVELS or MARKETING MISTAKES?
Chris Griffith wonders what they were thinking in Do Your Listings Speak For Themselves & What Are They Saying?
Broker Bryant welcomes the consumer to Active Rain Hello, John Q. Consumer. Welcome to our world.
PROBLEM SOLVING:
Don't Let High Radon Level Kill Your Deal by Jennifer Fivelsdal
Jonathon Dalton expounds on handling inspection issues: Seeing the Forest for the Trees
in Overcoming Challenging Listing Scenarios Lola Audu gives some back..
Ken Cook makes me wish he were in my market: How To Get Referrals From A Busy Mortgage Broker
Suzanne Marriott also weighs in on Home Inspections Buyer Inspection DOES NOT EQUAL Negotiations Round 2
Steve Dalton is Creating Urgency in a Buyer's Market
NEW GROUPS & FUN BLOGS:
Maureen Francis tips the scales with Help! My New Listing Has a Fish n' Flush!
while Robert Ashby rounds up More Tales From the Criminally Stupid...
Chris Griffith gets stuffed (or not!) in Oh no, this is NOT happening!
John Occhi looks back at some Inman Predictions for 2006 Wonder What they Said Would Happen in 2006?
ADVICE FOR NEWBIES:
Janice Lipka offers up: CHALLENGES OF A NEW AGENT
Mark Flanders gets webby... I Have A New Website - What Do I Do Now?
Advice for new licensees-part four in a series just for the newbie is a guide from Shari George
TECHNOLOGY & BLOGGING TIPS:
The Real Estate Tomato recognizes the value of comments in blogging and proffers:
Adding Your Two Cents - Stay On Top Of Your Comments
Ken Smith focuses the lens on Squidoo talk yet again...
CONSUMER CONTENT:
Jeff Belonger offers the advice Buying your first home can be intense.......
and in 10 Things You Need to Know About Commercial Real Estate ... Sheryl A. Smith outlines how the business side of things work.
Monika McGillicuddy lays it out: Sellers...do you know where buyers come from?
FORECLOSURE - SHORT SALE TALK
Broker Bryant brings it on with Three blind mice, three blind mice.........blah, blah, blah.
and Lenn Harley lays it all out in BANKRUPTCY AND FORECLOSURES ARE NOT NEW
TOPICS OF DISCUSSION:
Marc Blasi wonders if size really does matter in: Does Company Size = Company Quality?
Rick & Ines keep it real... on an even keel in : Emotions FOR SALE - price negotiable
Will Collins informed us about a disturbing development in New Jersey:
Court Ethics Panel Renders Seller Concessions Unethical
Jeff Corbett stirs up some controversy with this post: Disclosing Your Competitions Weakness?
Karen Hurst - asks who shoulders it in The Blame Game................................
Renee Burrows ponders a valid question: Do Median and Average Sales Prices Mean Much in Your Market These Days?
Prodigious blogger Ardell joins the fray wondering Why won't the MLS let me?
Marcus Burke wades in with: NAR = Not Absolutely Rational?
Jeff Belonger wants to know... Marketing YOURSELF or your COMPANY...... Part 1 of 2
ACTIVE RAIN UPDATES:
Active Rains new consumer portal Localism needs good content Upload regional photos to Localism.com and earn points!
Active Rain: The kinks are getting worked out quickly and there is already an update: Localism.com photo uploads - update
Rich Jacobson wants to know What's Your Strategy for ActiveRain/Localism: "Umbrella or Bucket?"
CONTESTS:
Maureen Francis let's us know about an exciting new turn of events in the:
Carnival of ActiveRain: Memorable Posts of 2006
Caleb Mardini posts later not to forget Remember That? It's Carnival Time Again?
2007 is Predictable:
Teresa Boardman wonders: What will 2007 look like?
And of course being the time of year that it is... honors for the final official post of 2006 go to :
Happy New Year by Caryll Miller - Good job and congratulations!
Moo