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Real Estate Wisdom Passing Through the Food Chain... - 11/30/07 04:52 PM
At my house, food passes through a couple of different stages based on it's palatability. Maybe it's because everyone in my household can really cook. We're picky about food. We know by looking at it if it's fresh or simply being passed off for fresh. Well, sometimes we're fooled. A trip to the grocery store sometimes results in the purchase of an item that looked wonderful when one is hungry, but somehow looses it's perk appeal once it is brought home. This happens most often with baked goods. Must be my sweet tooth.
Anyway, least we digress, the best chance a baked item has of being eaten in … (31 comments)
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Michigan Buyers...When the Government Gives Free Money to Buy a House...Go Get IT! - 11/29/07 07:04 PM
It's almost the end of year...the time when most funding programs tend to run low on funds for buyers without down-payments. In a surprising and refreshing reversal this November, the Federal Housing Authority Administrations (FHA) Philadelphia Homeownership Center has approved several Sales Incentives for use in the purchase of HUD homes in Ohio AND Michigan!
This is great news for Michigan buyers! Particularly if you're a first time buyer strapped for cash as the holidays approach. Now, you can give yourself a really nice Christmas Gift...A Great New Home! Here's the skinny... If you use FHA financing, you can obtain a $2,500 … (24 comments)
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Baiting Your Blog...Would You Sell Your Words for a Profit? - 11/28/07 06:51 PM
Would you Sell Your Words to Make a Buck? There is an interesting trend emerging in the on-line world. According to an article in the most recent issue of Business Week, entitled "Pitching Between the Lines", advertisers are exploring a new goldmine of potential targets for their ads...Web surfers and blog readers!
The focus of the article was largely about competing for a powerful new entity known as "mind share." According to Vibrant Media, a marketing company that provides a product it describes as "contextual video advertising," every word across the Internet is an opportunity to engage your customers."
Vibrant Media business is to build branding … (36 comments)
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Maximizing the Value of Specialization...Understanding Foreclosures & Short Sales (Part 2) - 11/27/07 10:24 PM
* This blog post is Part 2 of : Maximizing the Value of Specialization...Understanding Foreclosures & Short Sales. Refer to links below for other blog posts in this series about Effectively Marketing Your Real Estate Skills to Provide Value and Optimize Your Income.
There are many challenges associated with determining the viability of taking a listing which is in trouble with the bank. It is important to assess the implications carefully before proceeding. There are times when it is not possible to be of assistance. However, many situations can be greatly aided by the skills of a properly trained, licensed real estate agent. Here are some … (17 comments)
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Maximizing the Value of Specialization...Understanding Foreclosures & Short Sales - 11/27/07 10:22 PM
Earlier this month, an insightful discussion occurred within the comments of a blog post entitled "A Sure Fire Method to Rapidly Increase Your Income." The post opened with this statement about the reality which many in the real estate community are facing as we enter into the holiday season...
"As the holiday season approaches, many in the real estate community have two head bangers to deal with. The prospect of having to buy gifts and other holiday fare at a time when there's traditionally a slow down in home sales AND the spectre of looming tax bills around the corner just after the holiday … (6 comments)
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From Midwives to First Borns & Beyond...Giving Birth to A Career. - 11/26/07 10:01 PM
Depending on your perspective, this post has nothing to do with real estate or everything to do with it. This is a follow up to a post I wrote about underestimating the value of a penny. In looking for larger, more important looking notes, there have been many small blessings which escaped unnoticed. Thankfully, my "chance" meeting with my friend Patricia Jabbeh Wesley in a grocery store some 15 years ago was not one of them.
Patriciahas just published her third book of poetry. As an acclaimed African poet, her entrancing style of writing about her native country Liberia is studied in universities and colleges throughout … (18 comments)
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When the Pant Legs Are Two Different Sizes...Why A One Size Fits All Solution Won't Work! - 11/24/07 10:50 PM
What Was the Deal With That Turkey?
There must have been something about that Thanksgiving Turkey...The past 48 hours have spawned one of the most far reaching discussions that I've ever read on Activerain about the foreclosure crisis in different parts of the country. The value of this discussion is enormous...both from an educational perspective and the ability for a professional forum to hash out some much needed analysis. It's also extraordinary to watch Realtors, Lenders & Appraisers add insight...Kudos to Gena Reide, Lenn Harley, Ed Rybczynski, Bryant Tutas, Carole Cohen and others who have added so much Value! Broker Bryant … (27 comments)
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Reflections... - 11/23/07 01:17 AM
I've never had Thanksgiving roll around so fast and be over so rapidly! This year, Thanksgiving dinner was a "community" effort. Our oldest is back for a short break from college. We decided that instead of mom doing all the cooking, each member of the family would contribute to making Thanksgiving lunch or dinner...depending on how long things took.
Well, it turned out to be quite a feast. Our youngest made his famous mashed sweet potatoes and a coffee cake. My husband deep fried a spicy capon and plantains and boiled the green beans. Grandma contributed an African favorite Jollof Rice and collaborated on the … (31 comments)
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Did You Tell Them to....Please Google Their Home? - 11/21/07 11:35 PM
I'm not sure exactly how many MLS systems we have in Michigan...but there are a lot of them! I pay to have access to one local Board and fork out more money to have limited privileges on a second. I recently took a listing which caused me to investigate the possibility of listing privileges with a third board.
Our initial contacts yielded limited success, but we were finally routed to the right person just in time...for them to go on vacation! Unfortunately, there was no one else to answer the question or process the paperwork, so we waited.
When, the individual got back from vacation, we were … (23 comments)
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RendezVous in Black & White 13th Edition... Gives THANKS! - 11/21/07 08:10 PM
A RendezVous is a place to relax, share and be inspired. That being said...
Tonight the RendezVous in Black & White on Fraiche Aire Celebrates in the Spirit of Thanksgiving. We're thankful for each of the 163 members of this Group.
Fraiche Aire was created solely to share the unusual, the interesting, positive moments...the things that make you smile and those which create an ah-ha. There have been over 1300 posts assisting in the movement of Fraiche Aire through the Active Rain Network.
The RendezVous in Black & White is also Thankful for the extraordinary opportunities that the Active Rain Network has given it's … (12 comments)
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A Tale About the Market... - 11/20/07 09:18 PM
As children, my mother used to tell us a fascinating story. She would start her mesmerizing tale by weaving our imagination around the excitement, sounds and rhythm of the scene on Market Monday. She held our rapt attention...describing ladies carrying their brightly colored bundles on their heads or on their backs as they walked towards the market to display their wares.
Some walked slowly...they had a lot of baggage on their mind. Others expertly balanced their loads on their heads...walking with the erect, graceful posture that one observes all across the African Continent. They all walked purposely. There was much to be … (40 comments)
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How Developing a Higher Cultural IQ Will Increase Prosperity for Real Estate Agents! - 11/19/07 09:33 PM
Picture this. It's the first day of kindergarten. You arrive at school with little Jenny tightly clutching your hand. She's been talking about this for months. You're both a little apprehensive. The teacher spots you in the doorway...hesitating about venturing in. She warmly crosses the room and introduces herself to you and Jenny...in Spanish!
Yes, you're in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but this is not a neighborhood of predominantly Spanish speaking people. In fact most of the students in the classroom look Anglos...they're very white. But this is a Spanish speaking classroom. All the students will be speaking Spanish for the next 8 years … (28 comments)
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How to Successfully Engage the Sale of "The Angry House!" - 11/17/07 07:19 PM
Unless you're brand new...you've been in one! Your first encounter may seem quite benign...a listing pops up for a client and the information seems perfect. There are usually no pictures on line...but never mind. The home is in the right area...and seems to be priced right. So, you pop off a quick e-mail and arrange to go over to take a look.
That's when things begin to become interesting. The view from the sidewalk may reveal a number of issues which are potential red flags. In winter time...the home may not have seen a snow plow for awhile. You are faced with contemplating … (72 comments)
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Ready, Set...Move Right On In...11369 Starflower Dr. Holland, MI 49424 - 11/16/07 11:02 PM
… (7 comments)
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Introducing Newbie...Sue Prins - 11/15/07 09:26 PM
Could you join me in extending an Wet Active Rain Welcome to Sue Prins. Sue recently started blogging after attending the Blogging Seminar held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her first post entitled "A Generation Behind...Not I?... My first Blog Post " is a great read about the challenges of adapting to this new technology.
I've known Sue for several years and we worked together in the same company prior to opening my own business. A couple of years ago, Sue & I were in a book study together which was a real learning and growing experience.
Sue has never been afraid to … (12 comments)
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If You Could Peer into the Future Before You Sold Your Home...Would You? - 11/15/07 05:12 PM
Probably the biggest source of angst that home owners in Grand Rapids, Michigan have about selling their home is knowing IF their home has a chance for a Sale. Quiet turmoil mounts with the following irksome thoughts.
Potential Sellers question, "Will this Home Sell?" or "Will anyone even want to look at my home?" This is especially troublesome when the home across the street has been For Sale for the past 6 months...and you've never seen anyone come to take a look.
Well, there's a feature available that allows you to look into the future in a manner of speaking. As a real estate … (33 comments)
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Creating Multiple Streams of Income by Dominating Your Local Niche! - 11/15/07 12:10 AM
Earlier this month, an insightful discussion occurred within the comments of a blog post entitled "A Sure Fire Method to Rapidly Increase Your Income." The post opened with this statement about the reality which many in the real estate community are facing as we enter into the holiday season...
"As the holiday season approaches, many in the real estate community have two head bangers to deal with. The prospect of having to buy gifts and other holiday fare at a time when there's traditionally a slow down in home sales AND the spectre of looming tax bills around the corner just after the holiday … (22 comments)
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Is Your Blog A Customized Encyclopedia & A Travelling Gold Mine... - 11/14/07 08:08 PM
I get it! I really, really get it! I'm just out of an appointment with some new clients. As I leave the appointment, I let them know that I'll be sending them some listings which they should receive within 24 hours. As I begin to do the search, it occurs to me that I should include some articles that I've written especially for new home buyers. This is when my blog became a Gold Mine, A Treasure Trove of Information that I could tap into!
Over the course of the past year, I've written several articles about the home purchasing process. A click … (30 comments)
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Learning the Value of the Small Words... - 11/10/07 11:00 PM
I've recently finished reading "The Manual, A Warrior of Light" by Paul Coelho the author of the famous allegorical tale, The Alchemist. In this book, Coelho writes short inspirational essays which are at once delicious fare for the soul in their sheer breadth of beauty and perspective. I struggle to resist the urge to read it voraciously and also meditate slowly...allowing the wisdom to marinate within the core of my mind.
In one essay, Coelho makes the following statement:
"The Warrior knows that the most important words in all languages are the small words. Yes. Love. God. They are words that are easy enough to say and which … (38 comments)
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How to Successfully Sell Your Home During the Holiday Season! - 11/10/07 10:02 PM
Selling a home during the holiday season in Grand Rapids, Michigan is a unique opportunity. On one hand, homes never look or feel more "homey" than they do during this time of the year. Blazing hearths, the smells of holiday baking and traditional Christmas decorations against a backdrop of chilly wintry weather make being inside very appealing. But sometimes, home owners are daunted by the prospect of trying to get through the holidays AND deal with showing their homes.
My recent experience with selling homes during the holidays has been against conventional wisdom. Earlier in my career, I almost moaned when clients would … (16 comments)
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Puttin' Lipstick On a Corpse...The New Face of the American Dream. - 11/09/07 06:35 PM
I'm watching the ABC News Broadcast this evening. Once again, the topic of the grim condition of the housing market is front, prime and center. The locale being covered today is Cleveland, Ohio.
The camera pans across a neighborhood of vacant homes...yes, you read that right. An entire community of 1000 homes boarded up. Their owners gone, the neighborhood resembling the aftermath of a war zone. This is the American Dream turned on it's head. And, we're likely to see more of this before things settle down.
The news segment takes a tour through the community; even interviewing one of the few remaining … (63 comments)
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Marketing To Create Multiple Streams of Income Through the Holidays & Beyond! - 11/08/07 02:11 AM
We continue our series inspired by an insightful discussion which occurred in response to a blog post entitled "A Sure Fire Method to Rapidly Increase Your Income." The post opened with this statement about the reality which many in the real estate community are facing as we enter into the holiday season...
"As the holiday season approaches, many in the real estate community have two head bangers to deal with. The prospect of having to buy gifts and other holiday fare at a time when there's traditionally a slow down in home sales AND the spectre of looming tax bills around the corner just … (65 comments)
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Every Home Has A Story To Tell... - 11/05/07 09:22 PM
If walls could talk...I wonder what they'd say. I wonder what tales they would whisper about the lives of those who lived within them.
You see, every home has A Story to tell. And every home still standing is continuing to talk..if we have the ears to listen and the eyes to truly see.
When we first encountered this home on 924 Griggs, SE in Grand Rapids, MI, the owners had moved out. The home was vacant and looked a little forlorn.
The pictures on line revealed a lackluster interior with outdated appliances and fixtures. A physical inspection exposed an an even more outdated monster of a furnace...an old, … (24 comments)
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Do You Know Your Real Estate DNA? - 11/03/07 09:19 AM
Just last month, I attended a Broker Luncheon facilitated by the Grand Rapids Board or Realtors. The occasion of the yearly Board Meeting is traditionally a time of speeches, recognition and farewells to outgoing officers. This year was no exception. However, the speech given by the outgoing President, Jamie Starner was unusual in the depth of detailed analysis. Starner gave a State of the Union message about the real estate market in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The entire address was re-printed in the Grand Rapids Realtor monthly bulletin. It was a commentary on a wide variety of issues and initiatives which are impacting the … (14 comments)
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Lola Audu~Real Estate Broker/Owner Grand Rapids, Michigan Real Estate
Grand Rapids,
MI
More about me…
Lola Audu~Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate
Address: 3659 Alpine NW, Suite 102, Grand Rapids, MI, 49321
Office Phone: (616) 791-0511
Email Me
Grand Rapids, Michigan real estate information including houses for sale, rent and home buyer/seller tips. Also includes wisdom and insights from Lola Audu, CRS Associate Broker.
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