Strange coincidence, but two of my latest listings have tortoises in their back yards. One has an African spurred tortoise that was 'hand sized' when they got it 5 years ago but is about 18" front to back and about 35 lbs.

The other is an official 'tortoise foster parent' for the state of Arizona and they have a sonoran desert tortoise. These cannot be owned legally, but sometimes the state finds them where they are in danger and they place them temporarily with 'foster' parents.

I looked on the internet for the African (legal) variety. They run from $2-300 for tiny ones to $1800 and up for the biggies. Well, maybe I'll get one later......

I'm building my website and I would like to know if there are any sites I could link to for New homes.

I'd like to have it able to search an area, by price, by builder.

I DO NOT want it to capture my lead and have a builder contacting my lead.

I looked at NEWHOMESOURCE.com but they 'pirate' the lead, requiring email address and forwarding it to the builder.

Any Help out there?

Thanks in advance!

I have two home inspections I'll attend this week, one for a seller and one for a buyer.

For the seller, I want her o know that her property will be under my eye while the inspector is there. I don't know the inspector but I am very certain that he would be perfectly fine left alone at my client's house. But I know that my client will feel better that I am there. I will take my laptop and some reading material and enjoy the uninterrupted quiet time.

For the buyer, I will be there during the entire inspection. The buyers will join me to go over the findings by the inspector. I do know this inspector (Peter Zipp wih National Property Inspections) and know him to be one of the finest inspectors anywhere. But I will keep myself busy with catch-up work and be there when my buyer clients come for the findings.

I think I'm giving my clients FULL service and I don't know how to give less.

Jordin Sparks has brought lots of smiles to the Keller Williams family as her mother works for KW.

Today, a great article in the Arizona Republic gives us a new picture of Phillippi Sparks, Jordin's dad. It is a great story of overcoming obstacles and becoming a noteworthy person. It shows how Jordin probably got her perseverence to come back a second time to enter the American Idol.

Look for the full article on Jordin's dad at:

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0526boivin0527.html

I've been trying (repeat: trying!) to learn Spanish. I'm currently using a course from Rosetta Stone on my laptop. I feel like I am learning some but the lessons are not inclined toward real estate. There is a course 1 and 2 and I am still in the earlier stages of course 1.

Has anyone else embarked on this path? What did you use? How successful did you find it?

I don't envision helping non-English speakers buy or sell a house but I'd like to be able to understand their basic questions and refer them to a Spanish speaker courteously.

Has anyone used Google Analytics.

It's supposed to be giving usage reports on your web site.

I signed up, inserted required code into my home page, ran the routine which verified that I had inseted the code correctly, and waited. I made a number of entries into my web site but now, the next day, no activity shows.

Has aanyone else used these analytics? Successfully?

Copper thieves have struck again in Phoenix's west valley.

An associate of mine heard that the air conditioning wasn't working on one of her vacant listings. She called seller, seller called repairman, repairman reports that someone took unit apart andstole all copper components.

We've had serious problems in Maricopa County with copper thieves stripping copper components from automatic pumping units throughout the county, sometimes 10-12 unit a night. These pumps are used for field irrigation in the agricultural areas of the valley.

the problem has gotten so bad that a new law was passed in the last couple of weeks relating to scrap yards and dealers. They have to show records of all copper scrap purchased including driver's license copy of seller and they have to pay by check, making a paper trail for these transactions. I think that over a certain amount they have to take a photo of seller and get license plate number.

This is the first I've heard of them hitting vacant houses. Everyone keep their eyes open!

I have a listing appointment in 2 hours in Goodyear, AZ..

The seller has told me that another agent was there and told them to list for $269,900. I've run a CMA. No comparable house has sold for over $250,000. We are in a declining market. I've got to tell the sellers that they should list for just under $250,000 and that I won't do it for 5%.

I feel pretty good about it. I have a killer presentation package that will show them that NO one has EVER received the $269,900 price in that subdivision of almost 700 homes.

I hope to show that my experience and performance show that I perform. That he should measure the other agent's credibility against mine.

Wish me luck, I'll post what happens after I get back.

The NAR plans to increase annual dues from $64 to $80 to help fund two new projects.

The first is to establish a federally charted credit union the will help membres with some of their financial needs including retirement planning.

The second project is to create a new corporation to look into technological developments that will impact on the real estate industry.

They are also planning web site developments that will "...build a long-term relationship on the entire life-cycle of owning a home..." 

Jordin Sparks is the newest American Idol.

After a breathtaking season of cheering and voting (and voting and voting), Jordin Sparks has shown the talent and energy and poise to win the 2007 American Idol championship. We have been excited to watch as Jordin just got better and better as the season has gone on.

We are especially happy as Jordin Sparks mother is with Keller Williams Realty Professional Partners in Glendale, Az. We offer our congratulations and best wishes to this amazingly talented 17-year old wonder.