It doesn't matter if you own a classic or dreaming of owning one some day or just want to drool.  This is the show that kicks off the season of classic car shows.  People and cars come from all over Texas and other states.  There are usually around 400 beautiful rides to see and share with others.  You don't want to miss this event and don't forget to bring your camera.

 David Slavin www.DavidSlavin.com

The 76-acre Spring Green Recreation Center, features a scenic 30-acre lake surrounded by parks, greenbelts and wetland ledges. A water park with a resort-style swimming pool, 2 water slides and a children's spray park offers refreshing fun for every member of the family, and a Children's Garden invites the youngest ones to clamber over boulders and fallen timbers, explore a dry stream bed, and witness the cycle of life in a butterfly garden. 

At the heart of this recreation complex is the 6000 sqft Lake House, featuring architecture inspired by historic Texas train depots.  The Lake house has spacious indoor and outdoor gathering areas for up to 100, and residents can reserve this facility for meetings and special events.  One of the best features is it is green and LEED certified.  Some of the green features include a rainwater cistern that can collect up to 5,000 gallons of water to provide about 5 weeks of irrigation for the surrounding park area.  There's the bioswales that collect and filter the rainwater runoff before feeding into the 37 acre lake and the lake is surrounded by wetland edges to provide habitat for wildlife and an educational experience for the residences.  The Lake House uses saline water at its water park and swimming pool complex to eliminate the use of harsh chemicals. 

Call me if you would like more information about Cinco Ranch, Katy, or any part of Fort Bend County.

David Slavin www.DavidSlavin.com

     Cinco Ranch in Katy, TX is celebrating its 18th birthday.  Located in the highly acclaimed Katy Idependant School District, Cinco Ranch offers homes priced from $160,000 to over $1 million.  If you're looking for new contruction then the Cinco Ranch Model Home Village with 30 decorated models is perfect for you.  There are numerous pre-owned homes to choose from as well as and many different country clubs to choose if golf and socializing is your thing.  Cinco Ranch has turned out to be a highly successful master-planned community just west of Houston.

     You can join in the celebration at Simply Cinco information center at the La Centera shopping center (across from Cinco Ranch High School).     

By David Slavin www.DavidSlavin.com

     The price of postage is going up again!  On May 11, 2009 the price of a first class stamp is going from .42 cents to .44 cents.  This is just going to push more and more business to use email more than snail mail.  Many people still like to receive snail mail because it is more personal than email.  Will this increase make you do business differently?

by David Slavin www.DavidSlavin.com

By David Slavin www.DavidSlavin.com

Do you use scripts in your business.  If so, please share the scripts that work the best for you. 

In today's market, it is important to get back to the basics to make ourselves more productive!  Scripts have worked for many agents over the years and if you take just 30 minutes to practice your scripts, they will flow naturally, but you must practice!

Please share the scripts for buyers & sellers that work for you in any situation.

By David Slavin, ABR, SRES  www.DavidSlavin.com

     Consumer Reports rated cell phone service throughout 23 major metropolitan areas across the country.  The cell phone companies rated were Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Alltel and Sprint.  

     The cities rating Verizonas the best service are:  Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Fla., Las Vegas, LA, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis and Washington.

     The cities rating Alltel as the best service are:  Charlotte, N.C., Cleveland and Tampa, Fla.

     All 23 cities rated Sprint as the lowest.  It looks like a landslide for Verizon as the big overall winner.

     As far as customer service... here's the results:

1. Verizon
2. Alltel
3. T-Mobile
4. AT&T
5. Sprint (last place again)

       I'm so glad that I'm a sprint customer.  When my contract is up, I may be making a change.

What cell phone service do you have and how would you rate them on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best?

     I just ordered this book on Amazon.com since it definitely fits the world of real estate today and probably for a while.  I'm hoping it will give additional insight into money saving marketing and dealing with the immediate future of our industry.  If you have read this book or know of someone who has... Please give a review about it and if you thought it was practical to put his ideas into practice.

David Slavin, ABR, SRES www.SellMyHouseDave.com

     First offers in today's real estate market are golden.  Don't let it get away if you can help it.  The old saying, "A bird in hand is better than two in the bush" fits today's market.  If you want to wait for the highest offer and your house sits on the market month after month and you keep making payments... what did you gain?  It is better today to try and work with the first offer than wait for another.  Many times it is better in the long run to make a deal and move on to the next chapter in life. 

     Keep in mind that you may loose a little on the house you are selling but you should be able to make it up on the house you purchase.  Don't let that bird fly away because you don't know when another one will come. 

By David N. Slavin, ABR, SRES www.DavidSlavin.com

     Do you want 2009 to start off good for you?  Of course you do!  Who wouldn't?  It is important to let your past clients and SOI know that you are still open for business no matter what they see in the news about the real estate market.

     I always send a letter in January thanking everyone for helping me to have a highly successful year in 2008 thanks to them sending me their referrals.  I continue with, I'm looking forward to helping them and/or their referrals in 2009, etc.  I also send a similar letter in June basically saying the same thing but changing it for time relevance.  What this does is reminds the recipients that you are still there AND since you keep thanking them for referrals they will think that they need to send you some since others must be.  Keep in mind that people like helping others and sometimes they just need a little reminder.    

What do you do to build a referral business?  

By David Slavin, ABR, SRES

     This is always a tough one for many agents.  In today's real estate market we must make sure customer service is a top priority and part of this is gift giving.  I'm not necessarily talking about holiday gifts to clients and past clients.  I'm talking about gift giving when clients don't expect it.  That's when it makes the biggest impression on them and you will remain on the top of their mind.  When they think real estate they think of you.  But now for the big question...

What do you give them and how often?

     Buffini says to use the pop-by to bring gifts but this raises the same questions.  Please share your thoughts and what you have done that has been well received by clients and past clients.