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wake county: Solomon's Restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina - 01/23/08 06:11 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
I just love seeing small businesses succeed,and from time-to-time on my blog, I've decided that I will profile businesses that I think are cool.
Last night, I discovered a wonderful eatery called Solomon's Mediterranean Restaurant in Raleigh's Brierdale Shopping Center, near the popular Brier Creek shopping center. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the Mercer Portabello Wrap, and substituted chicken for the fried eggplant - and sauteed veggies for the fries. (I was patting myself on the back for making some "healthy choices", especially when all I could think about were their French Fries!)
The food … (5 comments)
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wake county: Fallen Real Estate Comrades - Let's Have Some Compassion for Them - 01/21/08 10:06 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
I think a lot. And today I started thinking about all the folks getting out of the real estate business.
We keep seeing these blog posts about failing real estate businesses and how slow the market is. I don't know about you, but it makes me really sad when I think about it.
I feel so sorry for those individuals who have worked hard and are now facing the fact that they may have to shut their doors. These folks had hopes and dreams for their businesses.
I know they didn't go in thinking they were … (7 comments)
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wake county: Buying a New Home? Consider Its Future Resell Value NOW! - 01/20/08 11:16 AM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
I was out for my morning walk earlier this week, and for the first time really "looked" at a set of new town homes near my residence. They're nice homes, but they back up to a busy street!
I thought to myself:
What were these people thinking when they purchased these town homes?? "Were they so anxious to just to live the American Dream that they weren't thinking about the location of the home?" "Did the Builder give them incentives to purchase these homes that they didn't carefully consider the location - and the … (9 comments)
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wake county: Mega Foreclosures in Wake County, North Carolina? Think Again! - 01/19/08 09:05 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
I don't know about you, but it is sooooo depressing to turn on the television or read about the record number of foreclosures in the United States.
I'm happy to say that the Sky is NOT falling in Wake County, North Carolina (where the 12 municipalities of Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon) are located!
In North Carolina, foreclosure rates are almost certain to climb. However, we are quite fortunate in Wake County. In 2007, fewer than 1,400 homes actually made it to the Courthouse steps as foreclosures, according … (9 comments)
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wake county: First Time Buyers: Not Using A REALTOR®? You May Wish to Reconsider... - 01/14/08 08:55 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
I see it all too often when I walk into the model at a new construction site ... Trusting Potential First-time Home Buyers who are not represented by a Buyer's Agent.
Inside my head, I'm screaming, "Run away from the on-site agent. S/he is working for the Builder and NOT you. The on-site agent may/may not be a licensed real estate agent!"
Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against on-site agents - and as a real estate agent, they treat me quite well. However, I, too, was once a First-time Buyer, and back then, … (15 comments)
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wake county: A Big THANK YOU to the Person Who Introduced Me to ActiveRain! - 01/05/08 06:29 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
Early last year, I had lunch with Kristin Little, a loan officer, who introduced me to the ActiveRain Network. That day, I had no idea how much of a blessing being here would be to my business!
Words are not enough to describe what blogging has done for me.
It:
Enables me to do something I love to do: Write!I am a journalist by training, but since I began my real estate career, I had gotten away from the thing that I love to do most outside of real estate. Write for fun! And believe … (17 comments)
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wake county: A Little Inspiration to Keep You Going... - 01/03/08 02:30 PM
Posted by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
For quite some time, I have been inspired by quotes and have been known to put them in the signature portion of my emails. It's amazing how many comments I received from email recipients.
Here are some quotes that have moved me:
"Mediocrity is a place and it is bordered on the north by compromise, on the south by indecision, on the east by past thinking, and on the west by lack of vision." ~ John Mason. The message: Let's not be mediocre. Excellence is the only option. Recently, I saw comedian Steve Harvey on … (8 comments)
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wake county: Just Got Your License - And You're Ready to Go, Right? Hold Your Horses! - 01/01/08 01:27 PM
Written by:Darleen McCullen, REALTOR®, BrokerKeller Williams RealtyPhone: 919.454.8864Email: darleen@darleenmc.com
You've taken the classes and passed the real estate exam. And now you'd like to jump feet first into a real estate career. Hold your horses, my friend! There are some things you may may wish to consider first.
From the outside, real estate seems like a glamorous industry filled with monstrous commission checks and living large. Here are 5 things I wish someone would've told me:
1) Have at least 6 to 12 months of living expenses saved. You may need it! Since real estate is a 100% commission business, there will be up … (34 comments)
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wake county: Why Do You Do Real Estate? (What's Your Big 'WHY'?) - 12/22/07 05:53 PM
My Team Leader at Keller Williams posed an interesting question recently, "What's YOUR Big 'Why'?"I started thinking about why I really get up each day to do thiswork versus something else, and wanted to pose the question to everyone here on ActiveRain.
Some REALTORS®, would say that they "do" real estate because they need to pay the bills. But really, is that enough? There must be more to it!
With the national real estate market overall in a slump, we must reach deep down inside of ourselves to answer this question - sometimes on a daily or moment-by-moment basis.
I'll share my Big Whys with … (9 comments)
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wake county: We Work Hard, Let's Take Time to Relax! - 12/19/07 09:47 PM
With only a few days remaining in 2007, it's time to review what we've accomplished this year, and set goals for 2008, right? Right! But it should also be a time for taking some time out for ourselves, as well as our families.
A few months ago, I wrote a blog called "We Take Care of Our Clients, BUT... " where I talked about the things I've committed to do more of such as exercising, massage, yoga, and eating right. Recently, I discovered a new place, Massage Envy at Brier Creek, in Raleigh, NC - and I just HAD to share! (When I find a … (6 comments)
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wake county: I've Been Away for Awhile...But I'm Back!! - 12/18/07 09:42 PM
Hi everyone!
It has been awhile since I've posted a blog, but I've been busy! Busy doing what, you ask? Handwriting all100+ Holiday cards I'm mailing this year. I should've started in October, LOL, but you know how it is! Business and Life have a way of getting in the way.
In this business (and in every business for that matter), people like to be touched in a personal way. And while I think that postcards and services that automatically send out cards have their place, I just didn't think it was the right way to reach out to my past clients, family, friends. (Yes, … (13 comments)
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wake county: A Closed Mouth Equals a Closed Business! - 12/02/07 10:15 PM
I absolutely love quotes. And I am always reading them and looking for little bits of inspiration as I go through my day.When I am having a less than stellar day (we all have 'em occasionally, right?!), I draw from these quotes.
I remember something that my mentor said to me once (which is applicable to any business): "A Closed Mouth Equals a Closed Business." This is oh so true!
Shannon Lefevre, reminded me of this in her post: Do I Know You? No, But You Should! She started talking about her business to a stranger on the phone and could potentially have $2.5 million … (17 comments)
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wake county: Do You Follow Up with Clients After Closing? OR Drop Them Like a Hot Potato? - 11/25/07 09:27 PM
I often hear complaints from clients and potential clients that they liked their former real estate agent but never heard from the agent after the transaction. I wonder why?
Could it be that the agent is more focused on the next transaction - rather than building a long-term relationship with current clients? This doesn't make too much sense to me!
After a closing, I always follow up with my clients either on moving day or the day afterwards to see if there is anything they need. (Chances are, they may have questions about something in the house once they've moved in.)
I also follow up periodically to … (64 comments)
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wake county: Flipping: 6 Things I'd Do Differently - 09/16/07 09:58 PM
A few days ago, in my blog titled, "You Want to Flip a House? Educate Yourself!", I promised to share some of the headaches I had during my first flip, which I purchased in Cary, North Carolina through a Short Sale .
I acquired the property for $123,000, and it appraised at $147,000 before any work had been started. I eventually sold it for $169,500 to first-time home buyers.
While I did fine with the purchase, it took me a few bumps and bruises to complete the flip. Going through this process has enabled me to help my clients and friends avoid the … (27 comments)
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wake county: We Take Care of Our Clients, BUT... - 09/15/07 11:12 PM
...How Well Do We Take Care of Ourselves and Our Loved Ones?
I was listening to the radio the other day, and heard that the third Tuesday of September (Sept. 18th this year) has been designated at Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day, and it started me to thinking: As Realtors, we take good care of our clients, But...how well do we take care of ourselves?
My clients can always expect me to go above and beyond for them (i.e. always ready, willing, and able to take care of almost any need they may have, including recently sitting in the Social … (15 comments)
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wake county: You Want to Flip A House? Educate Yourself First! - 09/10/07 09:25 PM
If you're like me, you love those Flip It television shows. They're addictive, aren't they??
And, unless you've been living under a rock, you've seen the media coverage about the record number of foreclosures in the United States.
These shows, coupled with the increased foreclosure rate in this country, have prompted many new investors to enter the market. In the Raleigh area, and in North Carolina in general, the foreclosure rates are almost certain to climb.
Each week, I receive quite a few emails and phone calls from new investors, looking for hugely discounted deals.
Flipping is a great way to … (6 comments)
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Darleen McCullen, Broker-Raleigh, NC Real Estate
Raleigh,
NC
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