Straight shooter - bring your photos up a notch. - 02/22/09 02:55 PM
I was taking some photos of a sign post that I make recently, and I found that the pictures were fuzzy when I tried to use them on a web site. I went to the local department store and bought a tripod for my camera. Now I am no camera buff at all, but the quality of my photos just went up a 1000% with the tripod. For example; on an exterior photo of a home, you can set up the camera and adjust the height and side to side, check out objects which you may not want in the photo … (6 comments)

Trail of tears-Turning the page. A short "sale" story. - 02/22/09 12:20 PM
I live in the Pacific Northwest, Washington State, and to be exact, Ellensburg Washington. Ellensburg is a small town of 20,000, which is home to Central Washington University. It is a great place to live and raise children, quiet, pretty, and envelopes much of what America is make of.
We have been fairly insulated from the forclosures and short sales until recently. Our market has been pretty stable compared to many parts of the country. I explain this so you will understand why this is my first short sale.
The call came if from one of my clients, and the scenario is … (3 comments)

Stimu-loss plan, Obama downplays expectations? That was quick! - 02/15/09 10:48 PM
The stimulus plan that would not even see the light of day before it was voted on by a congress which had not read it. Oh my gosh, then to eliminate the only part of the plan which I felt may actually help stabilize the housing market, the 15,000 home buyer credit portion. Now today I read an article in which President Obama downplays expectations of the plan. May I just ask the question "what was the hurry"? Have we just completely lost control or what?
The only thing I can do at this point is to focus on things close to home … (0 comments)

$15,000, you bet I'm stimulated, or am I just another pig at the trough? - 02/07/09 11:57 AM
I have to confess here, I have been a steady oopponent of the stimulus plans, both the first one, all the bail outs, and the current stimulus/spending bill. I am a believer in the free market. If a business can not survive in the current economy, either due to mis-management or demand for their product, then so be it.
I do feel that finding the "bottom" of the housing market is key to recovery for our nation. Stabilization of prices will do much to turn around the housing market. I firmly believe their is much pent up desire by people who … (5 comments)

Anybody else go brain dead? - 02/05/09 09:46 PM
So it's mid morning and you have a showing. Breakfast was three hours ago and it's too early for lunch. There are five homes on the show list, and it will be at least a couple hours before you get back to the office. If your like me you will probably crash at around house # 2. It seams to me like the more I have to use my brain, like we all do when showing property, the quicker I use up my energy and basically go "brain dead." Not too far to go for me, I understand, but this is not very much … (2 comments)

Did I ever tell you about the time.....oh my gosh! - 02/05/09 06:08 PM
The telling of this story won for me the "Foot in Mouth" award last year at the Realtor awards banquet. although my foot definitely was involved, I am hear to say unequivocally that my mouth was no where near the event.
I was showing the perfect home to my clients, just what they were looking for. An home which needed a little work, which they had the ability to do themselves, and also across the creek was another full building lot which came as part of the deal. They had interest in building a new home on the extra lot and then renting the existing … (2 comments)

Why are women better real estate agents than men? - 02/04/09 02:45 PM
The idea was posed to me by the first broker I ever worked for. in a conversation about production and sales, (he) looked at me and smiled saying "women are just better real estate agents than men." At that point I did not have enough real estate backgroundto make a judgment of my own, or even make an intelligent objection, so I wrinkled up my face and choked down the reality that I was destined to be "second string." He was never specific as to why it was so, and if I had pushed him I am sure he could have rattled … (10 comments)

Active Rain on Facebook, you've been tagged - 02/04/09 01:20 PM
I could never get into Myspace, actually I never tried. I did start a Facebook page as a source of networking. I understand that given time FB can become a good networking tool. Yesterday I got a "wall to wall" note from a friend showing some interest in a property I have for sale, there's the proof that it does indeed work.
What I did, and you can do, was to go to my profile, and under "add links" place "http://activerain.com/your active rain name", and you will give your FB friends access to your Active Rain. I feel this is a very good way to … (5 comments)

it was dirty, and I love her - 02/03/09 06:00 PM
I had some extra time this afternoon, which is one of the main advantages of being a real estate agent, the flexible schedule. It has been a long winter in the Pacific Northwest and today the sun came out and warmed it up to around 50 degrees. If you have not lived in a northern tier state, you have to know that fog and 20 degree highs are a normal part of winter, so 50 feels pretty nice. I had finished the sales meeting and completed a few of the items which needed to be done today but was home and … (9 comments)

http:// really needs to be there! - 02/03/09 03:26 PM
As a new member of the community (hey there) I found that the web address I placed into my profile was short the http:// portion. Since the entire address was not there (my fault) it did not link to my web site. I assume that everyone else did it correctly until I needed to contact a community member, and theirs was the same way. No http://, no web access. I hope this helps someone else, I mean, the whole point is networking, right?
Dean Curtis - John L Scott Real Estate, Broker, GRI, ABR, e-Pro, CNHS
… (0 comments)

Philosophy: rising tide or greedy broker? - 02/02/09 01:35 PM
Here's the question, should a broker subscribe to the philosophy of "a rising tide raises all ships" or "instant gratification-me me me". I can only speak from my own experience where I have seen the greedy broker syndrome as the order of the day. I would love to hear from you where you have seen talented brokers build loyalty and use teamwork as method of developing a top notch sales force.
Here is an example of an opportunity where the company, and agents in that company had a chance  to grow and where the sum could have been greater than the individual parts. Broker develops relationship … (1 comments)

Of course I know the forms, I think - 02/02/09 12:01 PM
When was the last time you read through the language on a purchase and sale agreement? The very forms we use every day contain huge amounts of boiler plate, and regardless of how skilled we become, we can loose track of the details contained in those pages. Okay, veteran agents know this stuff inside out, but some of the issues don't come up every day or even every year.
Example: The State wide forms purchase and sale agreement in Washington State has language where the buyer agrees to purchase any remaining heating fuel which remains at the time of sale. Does … (0 comments)

Homework, you must be kidding! - 02/01/09 06:53 PM
Since when did I start getting homework? What is this, third grade? I can hear the grumbles and groans already. Is it too much, or too demeaning to ask agents to prepare information for a sales meeting. The onus usually falls on the office manager to generate some market statistics or sales numbers for the group to digest at the weekly office meeting. Wouldn't it be good for a new agent, and even a senior agent, to bring an item of focus to the rest of the agents?
How about this for example. Monday prior to a Tuesday meeting, an email … (0 comments)

Agent's alternative business model - 02/01/09 05:44 PM
Office policies vary on the issue of what is expected of today's real estate agent. Some companies hire only full time agents, and many have stringent requirements in regard to floor (opportunity) time and office meetings.
My point here is not about the full time agent and that relationship to the office, but rather the alternative business model that may becoming more prevalent in today's industry. It is clear that we as real estate professionals can do everything from home just as effectively as from the office. So what about the agent who wants to work strictly from home? Should an … (0 comments)

 
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Dean Curtis

Ellensburg, WA

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Coldwell Banker Kittitas Valley Realty

Address: 100 West Third Ave, Ellensburg, WA, 98926

Office Phone: (509) 925-8700

Cell Phone: (509) 856-7046

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