Di's Blog

SW Virginia's Beautiful New River Valley

Diana Lyons — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:55:01 -0800

About the New River Valley

SW Virginia's New River Valley is made up of some of the most beautiful places on earth and so much history; there is not enough time nor space to mention it all! The counties of Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski and the City of Radford are all part of the NRV. It is located in SW Virginia and the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains. The New River at 350 million years old(reportedly),is second only to the Nile as the oldest river in the world & flows backwards!

The region is 1,458 square miles; is bordered by West Virginia the Blue Ridge Mountains. With I-81 passing through the region and close proximity to I-77 and 64, the area is accessible to both East and Mid-West markets.

The New River Valley is home to Virginia Tech, (Virginia's largest university),Radford University and New River Community College. The New River Valley is also served by a very active technology council (NCTC) that serves both the Roanoke and New River Valleys. The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (VTCRC) is located adjacent to the Virginia Tech campus, (the largest research university in Virginia and among the top 50 in the nation) and encompasses technologies such as:

Agriculture

Biotechnology

Business Assistance

Computer Science

Electronics

Engineering and Design

Environmental

Forestry

Internet/Telecom

Legal Assistance

Library Science

Materials and Chemistry

Medical Products/Devices

Transportation

Contact Directory: http://www.nrvalliance.org/data_center/area_info/documents/NRV_econ_dev_resource.pdf

NRV Links: http://new-river-valley.net/links.htm, http://nrvnews.com/

NRV Accolades:

Named one of the Best Small Places for Business and Careers by Forbes.com.
Named one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live and Launch a Business by Fortune Magazine.
Blacksburg/Christiansburg/Radford MSA ranked 5^th for 2006 Top Metros by Number of Projects with Population less than 200,000 by Site Selection Magazine
Named a "Perfect Place" and one of the "Top 10 Dream Towns" by Outside Magazine.
Named the 8^th best "emerging" area in the U.S. by Cities Ranked & Rated.
Named one of the "Top 50 Places to Live" by Men's Journal
Named a "5-Star Quality of Life Metro" and a "5-Star Knowledge Worker Metro" by Expansion Management.
2^ndhighest number of PH.D.'s per capita in the U.S. -Expansion Management.
14^th "Best Educated Technical Work Force" in the U.S. -Expansion Management.
Named a "5-Star Business Opportunity Metro" by Expansion Management.
Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center named "Best Practice in Technology Transfer and Research Centers" by National Council for Urban Economic Development.
Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center received the "Excellence in Technology Led Economic Development Award" by Economic Development Administration.
Virginia Tech ranked in the top 55 Research Universities in the United States with $268.8 Million in Research Expenditures by National Science Foundation.
Virginia ranked first as "Best States for Business" by Forbes.com.
Blacksburg, Virginia ranked "Best Small Places for Business" by Forbes Magazine.
Ranked 4^th for Public Schools in the Country "5-Star Quality of Life Metros" by Expansion Management.
Blacksburg High School ranked 319^th out of the "Top High Schools in America" by Newsweek Magazine.
Ranked the 3^rd most secure town to live in the U.S. by the Third Annual Farmers Insurance Group of Companies Study.

Again, so much to see and so little time. Make a decision to visit the NRV!

My Nephew the artist!

Diana Lyons — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:59:20 -0800

I wanted to share with everyone my Nephews paintings. He is currently enrolled at Radford University working on his masters in the art program. He also teaches the undergrads art appreciation. He has had no formal training and started drawing when he was a toddler.

Here are some of his paintings that adorn several of my family members homes; but definitely this collection isn't all inclusive; this is just what I have access too right now. Most of his work is "still life". He does pencils, charcoals, oils, etc...

This is his latest & I'm trying to talk him into giving it to me....but no luck so far :)

This one is actually hanging in my dining room!

Some of his works hang in at The little gallery at Smith Mountain Lake and some in his studio in Radford; but most are stacked up in a corner at his house. He really under estimates his talent!

We're proud of you Nick!!

1st snow of winter 2009

Diana Lyons — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:12:02 -0800

We woke up this morning to the 1st snow of the season in anticipation of 3-4" and it delivered!! This photo was taken around 8:30am. The flakes were so large, they looked like feathers falling from the sky. It fell until around 4:00pm and then stopped. Of course the ground and road is so warm, nothing stuck (on the road at least) but it is nice to see the Christmas lights bounce off of the white snow.

Now tomorrows temps. is supposed to be in the 40's. Good bye snow for now....but it'll be back...ole man winter promises!!

8:30am

1:30pm

Christmas plants & pets

Diana Lyons — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:19:47 -0800

I have heard alot of how Christmas plantings are toxic to pets. Poinsettias are not a friend, but does anyone know about a Rosemary tree?

My Husband brought home a rosemary tree (smells great) and the dog could care less but my cat is extremely curious. Will this cause her distress? It is actually rosemary so it is edible for humans?

Social networking...imagine

Diana Lyons — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:04:41 -0800

There are so many social networks out there, it's hard to keep track. Several that our company encourages us to utilize are:

Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin
Handshake
Gladhandle
Active rain

These coupled with our email, personal websites, cell phones (with email and camera capabilities of course), landlines, and of course the in person "meet & greets". What on earth would we do without them all? How did we survive growing up without texting, blogging or tweeting?

I actually drug out an old typewriter the other day and found the keys so stiff and hard to control. It's hard to imagine when the typewriter, dictaphone and that old rotary phone was so cool. I barely remember the party line where I grew up; but I do remember. Imagine the scandals & gossip we heard by simply picking up that old black phone and eavesdropping on our neighbors. I remember our phone number was 2 shorts and a long ring tone. Imagine if we still used those to communicate now? Imagine if I asked my Son to call me at 2 shorts and a long. His head would explode :)

Imagine if we didn't have an mls and had to use those 3" thick books to look up new, pending or closed listings (& that wasn't that long ago). My how we've grown! It's hard to imagine that we can get more advanced than we already are. When will we find the time to breathe? Right now you look on facebook and posts include going to bed now...just woke up and having coffee... taking the day off to enjoy with my family (really...is that why your on facebook? Its a family thing?).But, imagine if we didn't log in, upload or hit reply on a daily basis...our inbox, message notifications, voice mails, chats or IM would be loaded with 250 missed messages, beeps or blinks & we can't have it beep or blink without at least looking at it (even if we don't reply).

I'm the worlds worst to communicate via email or texting and I don't know why. You would think since I'm in a service industry, I'd want a live conversation, but here I am on Active Rain talking to thousands and talking to no one at the same time.

We are strange, aren't we?

New River Valley video

Diana Lyons — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:32:39 -0800

The New River Valley (NRV) economic development has created a video and posted it on you tube. It outlines many highlights of the NRV and surrounding towns and cities like Blacksburg (home of Virginia Tech), Christiansburg, Radford (home of the Radford Highlanders), Giles & Pulaski counties to name a few. No doubt why we choose to live here. Atmosphere, scenery, great people, businesses, innovation and continual growth. A great place to call home! I invite you all to visit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CsD6-DVCIE

Aunt Irenes Fudge shop in Harpers Ferry WV

Diana Lyons — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:12:51 -0700

My Husband and I recently went to Baltimore (me pleasure, him business) and we stopped by Aunt Irenes in Harpers Ferry, WV. Such a quaint place with alot of history.

All of you with a sweet tooth that want some yummy confections, should stop by if passing through!

Need an apple cider recipe

Diana Lyons — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:47:37 -0700

I am planning a fall get together and want to serve warm apple cider (spiked or not, I haven't decided) but need a good recipe.

Does anyone have a good cider recipe and suggestions on how to keep it hot while serving? I thought about using the crock pot??

Thanks

Caring for Aging Parents

Diana Lyons — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:29:32 -0700

I've hit a cross roads in my life where I must decide where & how to care for my elderly parents. I have never really thought about the what, where, when, why & how my parents would be taken care of once they reached a certain age.

My Mom has COPD and her lungs are shot. When it was cool to smoke, she took advantage of it. She is only 70 but is an effective 90 (so says her doctors). She has congestive heart failure, blood loss (normal levels are 12-14 & she was at 6 when she was admitted to the hospital a few months ago). She gets a blood transfusion every month now. She is in a nursing home doing rehab. Why rehab? Her lungs won't get better but they want her to learn how to adjust to oxygen and a c-pap or bi-pap 24/7 and how to take care of herself. Something as simple as going to the bathroom or showering lowers her oxygen levels to a dangerous level (normal levels are around 93 but when she moves around, she drops to the 70's, 50's and even sometimes to 30's or 20's).

Problem is, Mom is not the problem. With her in rehab, Dad is left alone in the house. He is 74 (again effectively 90), has had several strokes, is deaf, uses a walker & wheelchair and is as contrary as can be. He insists on making his own breakfast (forgets about cleaning up after himself though), won't bathe, won't wash his hair (in his defense it is hard for him to raise his arms), won't change clothes & most times will have a bathroom accident because he can't get there quick enough. Oh yeah and he's in early Alzheimer's too, so he don't remember he did it.

When we get older, do we forget what it was like when we were trying to raise our kids, pay our bills, do our chores or do we all regress to a child like stage and not only want, but expect someone to wait on us? I understand the bible says a white head is a crown of glory, and know if they had their choice, they wouldn't want to be a burden (I think....) . I find myself getting mad when I prepare a meal & take it to them, when they criticize the way it was prepared, the amount I bring or the time it took to get there (apparently normal people don't eat past 5pm), the methods I use to clean their house, pay their bills, water the plants etc.... I am not sure after hearing them every day, how I function on my own at all.

It's sad & depressing to see them in this way. It's hard to see them who was once competent and capable become frail and needy. It's pitiful to look back and see my Dad looking out the window just to wave goodbye or my mom wheeling down the hallway of the nursing home. Then it makes me mad that (especially Mom) did it to herself. Who in their right mind smokes 3 packs a day for 40 years and still be in denial for the last 40 years of what her outcome would be? Why would a parent want to make it hard on their children?

How do we make the choice to place them in a nursing home permanently or take them into our own home. The latter will involve someone having to quit work. Taking care of adults isn't any different than taking care of a child except they are more stubborn and use abusive language. They can't be left alone (just like a child), need to have daily activities, exercising, baths, changes (both clothes & bedding). I'm not certain I'm up to the task & along with the guilt need forgiveness for my thoughts about the amount of help I want to give. I am torn between obligation to them and want to be the good daughter and guilt for not wanting to go there everyday. I find myself arguing with my siblings, arguing with my spouse, arguing with my parents, arguing with myself. Plus, I know one day I'll look back with more guilt that I have these feelings now, because they'll be gone.

I'm not looking for physical, financial (I'm not even talking about the burden financially) or mental help (or maybe I am) I'm not looking for advice because I know every ones situation is different (or maybe I am). I just feel like I needed to write it all down or in the least put on my big girl panties & deal with it. I think it'll help to look back on this post as my family will progress/regress. I know that's why God says he helps push us through it. Through it is the key...thank the Lord, we don't stay in it. But what happens when we're not "in it" any more. That's the part that frightens me most.

The mental health of America (MHA) & CBS has articles on the effect of dealing with aging parents.

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/information/get-info/older-adults/taking-care-of-an-aging-parent

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/26/health/webmd/main4634572.shtml

Virginia housing market

Diana Lyons — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:17:39 -0700

Economist say the worst of the housing bust is over. According to Reuters, "U.S. home prices are nearing the end of a three-year slump and should rise in 2010:. The same report, however, stated though the overall economy can rebound even if the housing market does not as a housing rebound is not needed to end to the economic slide.

Most people think we will bottom out and start to see an upward swing Oct. - Dec. Anecdotal reports suggest that low mortgage rates and an $8,000 first-time home-buyer credit (set to end soon) are coaxing buyers back into the market.

I don't watch NBC,CNBC, MSN, CNN, or CBS and try to rely on local subject matter experts. While, speaking with a local lender he told me that mortgage applications for his company were on the rise. However, 1/2 of those he has received are in relation to refinancing. He said foreclosures, he's finding are still high overall and set to rise again as banks begin to move on the ever increasing delinquent homeowner, (whereas that actually could boost home sales and skew the rosy outlook but at the same time send us back into another boom of sorts). And, with the jobless rate increasing, mortgage defaults aren't likely to end very soon.

Virginia's outlook: Richmond is forcast to hit 16.4% deflation by the end of the year (one of the hardest hit) while SW Virginia/Roanoke area will see an overall lower 12.8%. The below falling home price graph indicates VA isn't even registering..which is great news!

This bubble/rebound varies per locality and we all have to address it as such. Pay no attention to the scuttle of the day, although we get giddy when we hear it's getting better. We know it'll get better, we've all been on this roller coaster before. The VAR put out an article on Have we reached the bottom yet and you should be able to view it at the VAR website varealtor.com

Mississippi Valley Promotions scam

Diana Lyons — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:12:30 -0700

In regards to scams: I found an article that was written in regards to lead generating scams. It details a gentleman's unfortunate experience with a credit card charge. The comments show some for, but most against the company Reply real estate lead generation.

http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/reply-real-estate-lead-generation-c107384.html

I have been scammed in the past by a company called Mississippi Valley Promotions, LLC in Davenport, IA or MVPas they call themselves; (Katie Fetty ph#866 606-3995 was the head honcho), whereas I paid them $300 to create some collegiate football calendars. They never produced the calendars, returned the money, zip, zilch, nada. I complained to the BBB and they had several complaints on the company (but I didn't check the BBB first before giving my information) but were unable to resolve the complaint. I've emailed & called MVP directly, but no response. The BBB has since closed the case and in the end simply $300 out of luck. I betcha they opened another marketing advertising agency after this one closed.... Just do your home work and stay far, far away from Mississippi Valley Promotions or anything this young lady has her hands in. Just like a liar & a thief, if they do it once, chances are they'll do it again. In this case MVP was a liar & a thief; at least to me.

BBB link to MVP:

http://www.bbb.org/iowa/business-reviews/advertising-agencies-and-counselors/mississippi-valley-promotions-in-davenport-ia-32023027

The best advice is to investigate the company prior to giving your personal info. over the phone/email. If it is a "buy now or the offer is void" situation, then let it be void. IF they can offer the promotion now they can offer it later. Common sense, huh? Yep, but it still happens & people do take advantage of the unprepared. The old "if it sounds too good to be true, it is" saying is true...take it to heart. Scammers make it hard for the legit business to make a living.

I'm still bitter (as if you couldn't tell) about what happened, even 2 years later, but life is short & I moved on. The downturn in the market offers the chance for a scammers to make their move. We never like to burn bridges in our business so politely hang up &/or delete the email and move on.

Lead Generation soliciting

Diana Lyons — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:10:19 -0700

I recently posted a blog about being contacted by lead generating companies. Or, companies claiming to provide real leads for Buyers and Sellers.

Companies offered on the web, such as Home Flux, USA relocation, Real estate lead source, Real estate sales leads, Motivated leads, Get my homes value, Home gain,We have home leads, Just click local...on & on & one. All of these .com's offer the same thing and that is leads to only 1 Realtor in your area or a small select group. Really? I don't think so. Real estate pal states it'll give you 10-20 leads per day! I can start my own company and do that...it's called the phone book.

I'm sure we all are seeing an abundance of solicitations from these companies, via email, phone & fax. The ones I really get annoyed with are the ones that come through like a website request (alot of companies offering SEO send via my website as well) They are honestly, driving me crazy. No amount of spam filtering is keeping them out. I can't "un-subscribe" as I never subscribed (no link is offered anyway). I do feel we need some sort of "do not email" registry just like the "do not call" registry.

Here is another email I just now received (which prompted this email). Note their disclaimer at the bottom that you HAVE TO go to their web page for more information. I dont' think so!

Suppose you could pay for advertising but get your money back if you didn't get enough leads?

Would you be interested?

We're betting you will.... you've nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Introducing our new LEAD ASSURANCE PROGRAM. It's nothing like the membership you had before.

On this special program we promise that:

If you don't receive at least 10 leads or close on a sale within 6 months of your membership, we'll refund your money!*

But we're increasing our advertising and need another member. This offer is currently NOT open to the public - just to select few agents in certain cities.

Are YOU ready to boost your profits by investing in an affordable, low-risk lead generation system at a fraction of the cost of other relocation services?

*For more information on this new program and to sign up, go to our member information and JOIN page TODAY!

(You must use the link in this e-mail to take advantage of this offer. This offer is not available if you use the renewal page on our site or respond to any other offer. This offer applies only to a small select group of licensed REALTORS. Our goal is to provide an increasing number of leads to a smaller, select group of quality members who are serious about increasing their relocation-related revenue.)

Inspectapedia

Diana Lyons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:33:28 -0700

I wanted to share a website that I find most useful. Some of you already are familiar with it and some will probably find it intersting, just as I did. I don't endorse the site, but simply found it useful when I was searching for information on a septic system.

It is called Inspectapedia. According to their description of the site, it is an electronic encyclopedia that provides information on detecting, diagnosing, correcting and preventing building defects, failures, health or safety hazards and environmental concerns.

http://www.inspect-ny.com/index.htm

The dog flu?

Diana Lyons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:38:18 -0700

Does anyone have any knowledge about the dog flu? I've heard it is going around in kennels and vet hospitals across the country. I understand it is an infection that is similar to kennel cough.

Kramer (my lab/german shorthair) goes to the hospital next Friday for a teeth cleaning and to biopsy a mass. Is he at risk of catching the flu? He's almost 9 years old and he doesn't take aches, pains or treatments the way he once did.

Congrats to Richmond & Virginia Beach!

Diana Lyons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:41:48 -0700

Just found out Richmond & Virginia Beach just got an "ada boy" from Good Morning America for being one of the top ten places to live in the country! Virginia Beach came in at #1 & Richmond at #7! That's awesome!!

Heres the link to the article: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=8296067&page=1 You can also find more info. in the Commonwealth magazine.

CONGRATULATIONS you guys!!

Virginia call before you place your sign!!

Diana Lyons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:30:41 -0700

Did you know Virginia had a 30-year-old Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act? Me neither! Virginia Realtors must now call Miss utility before placing our signs in the yard. According to the information we originally received from our local association, 49 lines have been damaged since 1993 (stats seem low for a state wide enforcement, but I guess the wrong/right person with connections had to go repair lines or pay the fee and it led to the enforcement) But, the information now released stats over 600 gas lines alone have been damaged. One would hope the gas lines are buried a little deeper than a sign spike could reach...cable may be a different story....

According to the SCC the act requires that Realtors (and others digging or putting up signs) call Miss Utility before erecting any sign (other than "coat hanger" signs). That's because, according to the SCC, even putting up a typical spike sign is considered "excavating."

Chain of events:

You or the sign installer needs to call Miss Utility of Virginia at least 48 hours before installing, excluding weekends and holidays.
Once you have called, you need to wait 48 hours starting at 7 a.m. the next working day to give Miss Utility a chance to mark any lines.
After 48 hours, if there are no marks you have to call again then wait three hours.
After those waiting periods, or if you get a call telling you it's OK to dig, then you can install your sign.
After you receive your "utility ticket", it is only good for 15 business days. If you want to install another sign after 15 days, you need to start the process over.

Realtors or their sign companies who don't first get the go-ahead from Miss Utility face up to a $2,500 fine. That's not to say the homeowner can't erect the sign for you (without calling Miss Utility) but IF they damage any lines, they will be held accountable and then guess who they'll ask for the money??

When we (my office) called Miss Utility to ask they come mark the lines, they thought we were crazy! She kept saying "who are you?" "why are you calling?" I hope, by now someone has informed them of the extra man power (vehicle maintenance, gas, etc...) they'll need to do this for all Realtors in the state of VA. We can guess what's coming next. They are going to have to charge for this fee, no way around it!! I couldn't blame them, what a hassle for them!

We've tried to think creative to "beat" the system. Tent signs fall over, coat hanger signs are just to flimsy, spring loaded signs (like those VDOT use would work, but again they fall over), putting the sign in a manufactured jig (ie: sand or concrete...really heavy to carry around) but nothing has come to mind yet. If anyone has a good idea/invention/suggestion, we'd appreciate it if you could pass it along.

But any rate, the only suggestion we can come up with is that I guess we'll start to inform our Sellers that it may be +/- 7 days before they get a sign in their front yard and we'll call Miss Utility the day we get the listing.

I wonder once other states get wind of what's going on in VA, they'll want to do the same? By the way, that number is 811 or (800) 552-7001

Being on time quote!

Diana Lyons — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:41:16 -0700

My favorite quote comes from Vince Lombardi...not sure where he got it from. It is simple:

If your early your on time,

If your one time your late,

If your late, don't bother showing...

Great words to live by as a Realtor!

Modern Times

Diana Lyons — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:36:20 -0700

I wrote in another blog about my Mother who sends me quirky things she finds. These are some that I found pretty interesting (I heard a few of these on the Laura Ingraham show some time ago as well)

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN A NEW ERA OF MODERN TIMES when...

1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

Fun & useless information

Diana Lyons — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:30:14 -0700

Fun & useless information that is quite fascinating:

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb"
Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.
The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S.Treasury.
Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.
Coca-Cola was originally green.
It is impossible to lick your elbow.
The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska
The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)
The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400
The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour: 61,000
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history: Spades - King David Hearts - C! harlemag ne Clubs -Alexander, the Great Diamonds - Julius Caesar
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.
Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what? A. Their birthplace
Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested? A. Obsession
Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"? A. One thousand
Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common? A. All were invented by women.
Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? A. Honey
Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year? A. Father's Day
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase......... "goodnight, sleep tight."
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down." It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice.

Told ya, totally useless but facinating!

If a dog were a teacher...

Diana Lyons — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:25:00 -0700

I have learned much from Kramer. He is only 8 yrs. old but wise beyond his years!

If a dog were the teacher you would learn stuff like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy-ride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
Take naps. Stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently

Facebook account

Diana Lyons — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:12:42 -0700

At the request of my Broker and in order to network with old colleagues, friends, family, I set up a Facebook account. I'm 21st century now! YEAH!! But who really cares?

I have 54 friends (seems small as I've noticed some people have thousands, but I never knew I had 54 friends who wanted to keep track of me). I asked my Son to be my friend and he said NO! He is a Senior in college and I'm positive he doesn't want me to get a peek inside his world. I probably wouldn't want to know everything anyway, so I'm not going to push him. If he decides to accept my invitation, I still don't think I want to know what he talks about all day and will probably never look at his wall.

Some folks seem to be addictive to it, but just like Twitter (I have one of those accounts too) I don't get it. When do you find time to sit on 10 different sites to blog, chat, text, email all day? Do you not work and if you do, what job do you have because I want to get paid to do that too!

I was sitting beside a young girl (about my Sons age) on an airplane one day and when they came over the speaker to shut off your cell phone, she picked up a book and began to read. When they said you could have electronics, she opened her laptop and put the book in her bag. When they said you could cut your phone back on, she closed the laptop, cut on the phone and began texting. She must have been the CEO of everything the way she just had to have something to do the entire time. Made me nervous.

Maybe she thought she had to do something because the dinosaur beside her couldn't talk her language. lol!

Home Flux connecting Agents to distressed property owners

Diana Lyons — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:56:37 -0700

I received an email from a company called Home Flux and per their email they wanted to connect with an Agent in my area who has worked with distressed home owners before and who would like to be the point of contact for referrals from their company.

Below is part of an email I received, but after going to the website, I still don't know any more about the company than I did. Has anyone heard of this company and what their all about?

EMAIL: We have a real estate investing company, and have thousands of extremely motivated home sellers contacting us each month. Because we do not have a local investor in every market, we are looking for experienced real estate professionals who can help these people by listing and selling their home. Many of those who contact us are going through a divorce, have inherited property, have lost their job, or just must sell quickly for some other reason.

We've found that the Motivated Sellers contacting us are:
Willing to pay higher commissions to sell quickly
Willing to review all offers
Need to sell in 30-60 days
Willing to list and sell for less than market value for a quick sale
Our investment company has been featured on Larry King Live, CNBC, CNN, FOX News, the Wall Street Journal and thousands of other media outlets. We've been around for nearly 10 years, but because of our recent growth have way more home sellers contacting us than we can help.

Where Do They Come From?
Many see us doing interviews on TV, or respond to our national advertising. We focus exclusively on working with highly motivated home sellers and nothing else.

HomeFlux.com
2140 E. Southlake Blvd.
Suite L615
Southlake, TX 76092

MLS System changes

Diana Lyons — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:04:53 -0700

"You now have access to the most advanced Internet MLS technology on the market, packaged in software that's intuitive and easy to use"

How many times have you heard this in regards to the best MLS system out there? Our board recently switched to a Rapattoni system. We went from Navica to Flex and now Rapattoni within a 3 yr. time frame and to be honest, most of the Realtors are overwhelmed by all the changes.

Each system also had a unique feature set for the web-based system as well as for PC-based software, PDA, or voice interface. And as with any new tool, you'll need to spend a little time learning how it works, but most of the Realtors here are frustrated by the functions of our new system. Apparently no system has every feature out there, or it would be so slow or so overwhelming that we couldn't function at all. We take for granted, things such as speed, reliability, and upload time. When one function breaks down, we are left feeling incapable of doing our job in the manner our clients expect. But we are experiencing the Rapattoni hotline default is "this is not part of our program and you'll need to consult with your association".

In our case, not only did our association choose to implement the program in June (which is in our busy season), but some features we are accustomed to are simply not there now. It seems as if it was not created by a Realtor or even "test driven" before it was implemented. What to choose, how to choose, what's easiest, best & most reliable?

I was wondering if anyone could share experiences (good, bad or indifferent) with Rapattoni and how we can get them to incorporate additional Realtor needed functions into this software in a timely manner?

FYI...List of known MLS systems (probably not all inclusive) in the event anyone is searching:

Advanced Marketing Services (AMS)
ARIS
Concentric Sofware - EvolutionMLS
dynaConnections
FBS (flexmls)
Fidelity MLS (Paragon)
Fidelity MLS (Paragon XL)
Fidelity MLS (RE/Xplorer)
Filogix,Home Quest
MarketLinx (TEMPO)
MarketLinx (MLXchange)
MarketLinx (Innovia)
ProMatch
Quest Technologies
Rapattoni Corporation
RealtyServer
Solid Earth
Stratus
Systems Engineering (Navica)
Tarasoft (Matrix)
Technology Concepts
Valet MLS

Getting Active Rain SPAM

Diana Lyons — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:37:14 -0700

Are any of you getting AR SPAM? I received an email (came from AR) whereas a lady was wanting to send me some money because she was dying, saw me on AR and just wanted it to go to a good Christian person. It started out like this:

Hello, I am Mrs. Susan Becknell, from Australia, I am 68 years old, I am deaf and suffering from a long time cancer of the breast, which also affected my brain...

I have, over the years received numerous emails through my yahoo account, mostly from Nigeria or Saudi Arabia and have been informed that I was RICH....if I would return their call or email. I never have fell victim to this type of scam via yahoo and was surprised to see it here.

How do we protect ourselves from this type of solicitation, especially here on AR? Just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience. I would report it to the governing AR authorities, but I don't know who is policing the site.

Any suggestions?

Real Estate Client Referrals

Diana Lyons — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:54:09 -0700

Money is tight & times are hard across the country which leads us Realtors fighting for potential clients and vulnerable.

I received a call from a lady at Real Estate Client Referrals and she was so excited to speak with me! She had a $260,000 referral and asked if I would be interested. Of course my first response was "how much is your referral fee? Is it Broker to Broker or are you coming through a relocation/referral network?" She explained they were a little different when it came to referrals. They charge a flat $99 and will send a lead that I was free to return to them within 7 days. I asked, "How did you get the lead?" She explained they get leads from Lenders whose clients are on line and ask for a Realtor referral. They call the lead and ask if they are serious about buying, gather the specific information and then search for Realtors in the leads designated location. I asked if it was an on line Lender or a well known lender. All she said is that it is a locallender. Hmmmm; well who?

Sounds pretty good, right? I'm skeptical. I've been duked by Mississippi Valley Promotions selling collegiate football schedules before (NEVER, NEVER, NEVER agree to anything from this company!) and fool me once..well you know the rest...

She stated they have approx. 4 leads a month in Blacksburg and need a representative in the area. I was actually busy this morning when she called and asked for a return call this afternoon. So we'll see how it plays out! I am going to ask, when she calls back, if she could give me some referrals of other local Realtors who have worked for them. If there are 4 leads a month now, surely there have been a few in the past? Blacksburg didn't just automatically appear on their radar, right?

My training knowledge is that we, as Realtors cannot pay for referrals unless it's from a Broker or through a relocation/referral network, otherwise, it would be considered a kickback. Anyone know of or have had experience with this company? Scam or legit?