BUY, SELL OR INVEST WITH PAUL GRIFFIN

Missoula Housing Authority

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:39:00 -0700

While I was starting my day today I took note, as I always do, of the expired listings that popped up in the MLS system. One of them was a home owned by the Montana Housing Authority. Originally being from Idaho and practicing the art of real estate down there for the first 7 years of my career, I didn't really know how things worked here in Montana so I made a few calls and visited a few websites to find out more.

Some of the information I found out about housing authorities was a complete surprise to me. Housing Authorities are usually publicly owned corporations ran by boards of members elected by local government and residents in the areas they provide services. The mission of these housing authorities is to place low income to moderate income families into affordable housing that will fit their budget. When asked what a housing authority is, most people will immediately tell you of a housing complex located somewhere in the city and not offer any further information. While this is true, I think people don't fully understand how much more housing authorities have to offer.

Housing authorities do indeed offer public housing to low and moderate income producing families, but they also offer other types of subsidized housing and provide a great deal of information on section 8 housing and how to apply for it. One of the interesting things I learned by visiting some different housing authority websites was that they provide counseling for low to moderate income families. This counseling is usually funded through HUD and other government grants for the purpose of helping people understand the process. I was also educated on loan programs that were available for people to obtain affordable financing if they meet certain criteria. After printing off material showing me income limits and resources available for this financing, I was surprised to learn just how available these programs really are for people. I will be using this in my everyday travels as a real estate professional.

Here are some links where I found this information available. I would highly encourage people to visit these sites to learn more about these programs.

Montana Housing Division Home - Section 8 information and qualification guidelines.

Missoula Housing Authority - This site is still under construction but offers information on how to contact.

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House Hunting Missoula Montana

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:09:56 -0700

When a person starts their search for a home in Missoula Montana it can be a daunting process. Though there are only about 107,000 people as of 2008 in Missoula County, the area covered is much greater than most will realize. For example, a person may come to me and tell me a general price range, number of bedrooms and bathrooms they are looking for and possibly a square footage range to look for. I'll narrow the search down to fit what they're looking for and pass on the list for their approval. This list may consist of 5-10 prime properties that fit their descriptions but it will take a full 2-3 days and 500 miles to look at them all. I used to cover a 5 or 10 property list in a half a day in south eastern Idaho where I used to show properties but not here!

One thing that holds true in most places in the state of Montana is that there is a lot of area to cover. Lifestyle, hobbies and special interests are going to be the golden key for people moving to Montana. One thing is pretty clear, if you like out door activities you can pretty much find them anywhere within minutes of wherever you live but the life you live will vary greatly. If you're more into night life, politics and community, there are much better areas to live in than others. Some people live for the farmers market and other old down town community events every weekend in the summer months and want to live as close as possible to walk to these events. Others enjoy hunting, camping, hiking and actually living with the bears and may like to live in areas that are less conjested and easier to access these activities. We also have a University in the area that some of you may be familiar with called the University of Montana or better known as the "Home of the Grizzlies!" The university district in Missoula offers a very "acedemic" way of life that many are drawn to. If it's horses you want, horse properties you get! In most areas of the country it's easy to find these equestrian areas but, in Montana, they litter the countryside! ... Literally!

The bottom line, Missoula and it's surrounding areas are full of diversity and different ways of living. Finding a home can look and feel like a daunting task but needs not be with the proper guidance of a good qualified resident or resident Realtor. The diversity of the area and different ways of life that follow are conducive to almost anyone with a heart beat! Western Montana, in general, is the coolest place I've ever lived and a great deal of people feel the same way I do.

All of this information and I haven't even touched on elementary, middle and high schools for the kids or the medical and professional community around the area. I guess this leaves more blogging fader for me in the future but described in a short three words... Second to none.

** As a side note here, the top picture is a picture of my oldest son enjoying a community car show. The second picture is of my oldest and youngest taking in the farmers market. Visit my website for a list of community events taking place on a weekly basis all over Missoula. **

Until next time...

Life in Missoula Montana

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:43:52 -0700

Standing under the "M" at Kiwanis Park near downtown Missoula this morning I realized how "different" life in Missoula really was. People are so laid back and impartial to whats happening around them in many ways and very caring and willing to give in others. The "M" shown in the picture brings many visitors to the area to hike up to and take in the views of Missoula and the surrounding areas. If you look closely you will even see the hiking trail leading up to the giant "M" where so many have traveled before. If I would have zoomed in on the picture you would actually see people walking up the trail.

Rich with history and with the diversity of the University, people from all walks of life converge to create an almost surreal atmosphere unlike any place else I've ever lived. Located deep in the heart of the rocky mountains is a hidden modern paradise with a hint of country pride.

I remember watching "A River Runs Through It" for the first time when I was younger. This was a fantastic film by Robert Redford that portrayed the early life of Missoula and the surrounding areas for one of it's resident families. The theme in the film was mostly about fly fishing and was very compelling to me as an avid hunter and fisherman myself. The area offers a vast array of outdoor activities ranging from nature watching to golf. I've definitely found myself to be "In Love" with the area!

As the economy moves up and down and one finds nothing but grim news on television and in print it's easy to forget what's all around you. I personally took a time out this morning to look at my surroundings... I'm glad I did. In fact, it made me so happy I just had to blog about it!

Have a great day!

Market Conditions and New Listings in Montana!

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:46:45 -0700

Living up near the 45th parallel, the days are growing shorter and the temperatures have been consistently dropping. My son started grid kid football last week and my friends that are Denver Broncos fans on Facebook have been chattering about Tebow and driving me nuts. Yup, Winter time must be in the air and around the corner! Most people would probably consider me nuts but I love the winter season and seasonal changes in general. I guess it always reminds me that things will always change. Perhaps next year the Raiders will get their own form of a Tebow? :o)

The market conditions here in Missoula County have declined in the past year but still remain strong in key areas with regards to the existing housing market. In the last 7 days we've had 18 new listings, 9 sold or under contract, 26 expired and 65 pending listings. The median price range of the new listings was around $235,000.

The picture gets a little more interesting when you look at the year to date numbers for our area. Year to date numbers for this time last year were hovering around 603 under contract/sold properties and this years numbers come in slightly lower at 557. Average Days on Market (ADOM) numbers have increased slightly with the average YTD showing around 117. In the last 7 days the Average Days on Market numbers came in at 147 showing a normal "end of summer" trend for the area. Time will tell over the next couple of months with regards to the ADOM number. We shall see... I've always watched this number closely as it's usually the one property owners ask me first when talking to them about listing their properties.

Western Montana is a different market than what I'm used to seeing in South Eastern Idaho. This morning I was out the door at 0800 to take my son to school and head off to a new listing appointment. I'm very surprised to see so many 2 bedroom homes on the market. The property I visited this morning was a 1300 finished square foot, 2 bedroom home with no basement. Beautiful granite counter tops adorned the kitchen and bathrooms with high quality plumbing fixtures and tile flooring throughout. Fourteen foot ceilings, canned lighting, hard wood flooring, etc... . All this in a very nice subdivision in the beginning of the Hwy 12 Valley of the Lolo National Forest on a .40 acre lot. The views are astounding and the subdivision is teaming with family life and kids. I couldn't help but ask myself, "Why would a builder build a 2 bedroom home in this area?" In my eyes, it's not the right floor plan for the area... it's going to be a tough sell... .

Order up! One CMA, well done and a listing packet on the side! I should have this one under contract in a couple of days. Pictures and descriptions to follow...

Until next time dear blog... This is Paul Griffin, signing off for Western Montana!

Reasons to Purchase a Home in Missoula Montana!

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:37:32 -0700

So, I'm sitting in my office today working on a CMA for a client and I get a call. A voice comes through the line and says,

"I'd like to look at homes in the Missoula area!"

Great!! I thought to myself, let's start looking for a home for him in the Missoula area and get a contract drawn up as soon as possible! I'm just getting started in the Real Estate world again and could use a deal or two!

The conversation continued...

"I'm starting a new business dealing medical marijuana." the gentleman stated.

"Ok." I said cautiously.

"It's all legal and I have an attorney to back me up. I won't be doing anything illegal or under the cover and I've been prequalified." he continued.

"What would you like to find in a house Mr. Buyer?" I asked remaining completely neutral.

"I would like at least 2 bedrooms upstairs and a big full unfinished basement. I need it to be in an area that's not too active if you don't mind. Anything in the $250,000 price range would be fine but no higher than that. Just send me a list to [email]." he said.

Now, I know how I handled this situation but how would you?

How do you think legalizing medical marijuana dispensaries is going to have an effect on house values if any?

A FELLOW REALTOR IN NEED - PLEASE HELP AND RE-BLOG!!

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:45:47 -0800

Lets Help Jack Together!

We are now up to 191.52 in donations!! Please keep them coming! Thank you so much for all you're doing!

Recently I posted a blog to help a friend / colleague of mine in my office at EXiT Realty of Idaho Falls, ID. His name is Jack Wise and he has just recently been diagnosed with throat cancer and has very poor chances of recovery. As you can probably imagine, this is a very emotional and traumatic experience for Jack and his family as it would be for any one of us and our families.

Like a good majority of us "independent contractors," Jack has no health insurance coverage for he and his family because of the high costs of private insurance plans. Without this necessary medical coverage it usually means that health providers in our wonderful medical industry here in the United States probably will not give him the kind of care every one of us would deserve. In Jacks case, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that he, as so many others without insurance, will probably suffer beyond what he should have to suffer while battling this terrible ailment.

In my opinion, the last thing in the world a family should have to worry about in a time like this is money. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that they will probably have to just like any of us would. It is for this reason that I'm writing this blog post. I have created a PayPal account and a website for people to go and donate money to Jack and his family in their time of need. Please visit the following site and donate any amount you can for Jack and his family. Even if a few thousand people donated just one dollar it would help the family immensely with the living costs that they will need during this trying time.

Just think, it costs $5.19 for one Carmel Macchiato from Starbucks or $4.00 or $5.00 for a McDonald's Value Meal from McDonald's. Imagine if 1000 people from Active Rain and around the world donated the dollar amount of just one of these items to Jack and his family?

Please visit the following site and donate if you can... At the very least, please e-mail this link to as many people as you can and spread the word for Jack and his family and keep them in your prayers. Let's make a difference just this once in the life of a fellow Real Estate Professional without insurance. This story is all too familiar... let's make a difference this time!

The Jack Wise Donation Site

Thank you so much for any support...

Please also feel free to leave your comments on this blog to keep it alive as long as possible...

Paul

A Fellow Realtor in Need - Please Re-Blog!

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:46:33 -0800

The Jack Wise Donation Site

Thank you so much for any support...

Please also feel free to leave your comments on this blog to keep it alive as long as possible...

Paul

SPAM

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:37:14 -0800

Spam Premevara

I just love GMail! I was clearing out my Spam box a few days back and noticed that you get free spam recipes every time you go into your spam box section of gmail! I immediately proceeded to ask my wife if she could try one of these recipes out for me. I'll be the first to admit, and I'm especially not ashamed to admit it right now, that I really like Spam! It's high in cholesterol, fat, salt and all those good things for the body! Anyway, I had her make this recipe for me and I would highly recommend it to all the closet Spam lovers out there!

HINT:

If you don't want to get too involved with a huge recipe using spam you can always just slice some up and throw a couple of slices of cheese and some mayo between two pieces of bread too! Mmmmmm Mmmmm good! I also like to make a grilled cheese sandwich with thinly sliced spam!

I'm not really sure why I'm blogging about this other than to support GMail! It really does block out the spam mail that you get. If you haven't tried it lately it comes highly recommended by me.... right along with the real spam! :o) Both are great resources for anyone in the RE world!

Have a blessed day!

Team Member needs prayer...

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:17:19 -0800

I have a team member that needs prayer. He is a great guy and was recently diagnosed with throat cancer and is now starting his treatment with chemo and radiation. Please keep him in your prayers. Thank you...

Update to original blog post (see also my comments in the comments section below)... 11/12/2008

Just an update to anyone that may be following this blog post. My buddy came into the office the other day and stated that his doctor told him that he only had between 5% - 15% chance of survival. To top things off, he and his family do not have insurance either... Life is so tough for some...

May God please shine his light on Jack & his family and help them out in this dire time in their lives. Oh Lord, please be with them! Most of all, may Your Will be done... Amen

If anyone would like to donate to this great guy and his family please contact Tello Baird, the broker/franchise owner, at the Idaho Falls EXiT Realty office. He is taking donations from the local board here in our Snake River MLS as well. Even a dollar or two would be most appreciated... Please, if nothing else, keep the prayers coming! The information for donations is as follows...

EXiT Realty of Idaho Falls

2157 E. 17th St.

Idaho Falls, ID 83404

Office: 208.522.0711

Fax: 208.522.0726

Tello Baird's Mobile: 208.339.0711

Tello Bairds E-Mail: tellobaird@gmail.com

I have also set up a paypal donation button and web site for Jack and his family here. Please donate freely if you are able! Thanks so much in advance!

Computer Security

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:55:03 -0700

Computer Security

Let me just start by saying that I'm not a computer geek by any stretch of the words but I can boast just a little here...

I haven't ran computer virus software consistently for the last 8 years and I don't plan to run one anytime soon either. The general media and computer stores of the world would have you believe that you can't get by without having some sort of expensive virus software installed, updated and running at all times on your computer while it's in use. While, this may be true for many people that have absolutely no intellect when it comes to computers at all, my wife, kids & mother come to mind here, it's not always true for a great deal of people. There are some things that you can do to protect yourself without using a virus scanner. Education is the key!

A quick note about virus scanners...

Many people should use a virus scanner. Many people will not take the time to learn about computers, the Internet and how it all works. For people that don't want to take the time to learn (and I'm not saying that's a bad thing either! We need to keep the computer savvy in a job!) there are a plethora of good virus scanners out there. They can range in price anywhere from free (AVG) all the way to $135.00 for a two year download of Norton. If you're going to use virus software I would recommend the following programs that I've played around with a little...

AVG (Free Addition) - http://www.avg.com This one slows your system a little but not bad and does a good job of auto updating it's virus files. I've had several friends that swore by this one.

Trend Micro PC-Cillin - ($85.00) - http://www.trendmicro.com I was even actually talked in to using this one for a while by one of my truly geekish friends. You hardly even know this one's installed until it asks you to pay another $85.00 to update it...

Norton Security - ($135.00) - http://www.norton.com I've heard it both ways on this software package... People either love it or hate it. I, personally, hate it. If there's one that slows your system down at all this is it!

These scanner systems can definitely keep you safe and secure (to a point) if you use them properly and keep them up to date. The biggest problem I see with people is they do not keep these things updated once they've thrown the money out there to buy them! Thousands of new virus' are discovered each month and the only way you can secure your computer with your virus scanners is to update them consistently. The biggest mistake I see folks make is setting their scanner to auto-update and then they don't have a consistent connection to the Internet? How's it suppose to download without a connection to the Internet? Even with high speed Internet access it takes more than a quick e-mail check (on/off) session at Starbucks to update your virus engine. I recommend connection to the Internet at night and have it update while you're sleeping if it needs to.

Password Safety!

Obviously, resetting your password often just makes sense. Just because it makes sense, however, doesn't mean people do it! I'm even guilty of this one. Along with resetting passwords, here's what I also recommend...

Don't have just ONE set common password that you use for everything! The most secure things most people use are banking sites and auto bill-pay sites in my opinion. Unless they work for the CIA or something??? My suggestion... Have ONE password for your banking site that is only used for YOUR banking site and change it every month. For the rest of the auto bill-pay things you can have one common password and change it every few months or so or whenever it asks you to do so.
E-Mail Passwords: I almost hold my e-mail password more super-secret than any other for a few reasons... First, if a virus or hacker invades my e-mail, they can send out bad things to all my 800 contacts. Contacts that I've done business with in the past, contacts that I'm trying to do business with in the future, family, friends, etc... I don't know about you but I always feel so sorry for a fellow Realtor when I get an ad for viagra or antibiotics from them in my e-mail... Second, it's the password I use the most and it's easiest for me to remember AND it's the easiest for me to "give up" to people... so be careful! Thirdly, my e-mail is strictly confidential between me and my wife and whoever I'm talking to in that e-mail. Yes, you heard me correctly, me and my wife! I'll talk more about that later, however, on another blog... Anyway, my e-mail is usually another separate password. (** That makes 3 so far!)
All other passwords: If it's not a super-secret secure site for me I'll usually use yet another common password for all the rest. Examples would be Shopping Sites, Forums, Networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, AR, etc...
Never, Ever, Ever, Ever set your password to be remembered in your computer! If you're using things like Google's Toolbar auto-fill feature or Windows auto-fill feature you're just asking for trouble. Though these applications are secure they are NOT perfect and hackers are ever changing their techniques. Do yourself a favor, keep a little notebook with you with all your passwords before you use this feature. There are programs that claim to help keep all your information safe and secure. These programs have consistently been hacked and proven to be ineffective. If you've used these features in the past and don't know how to delete them e-mail me or call me and I'll help you erase them from your systems... You don't want to be paying for someones coffee in Milan tomorrow morning! Another thing, don't let your computer or websites "remember you" unless it's a password you don't hold dear to your heart. If you allow a password to be "remembered" by a website you're risking someone else gaining access to that password... period.

So, there you have my ideas on passwords! I have 4 official passwords! One for banking, one for auto bill-pays, one for e-mail and one for all the rest... Only my wife and I know them all! Oh, and my advise on auto-fillers... Never, Ever, Ever, Ever use them! No matter what anyone tells you! NEVER...

Surfing and all the rest...

Passwords and other information are stolen by hackers using several different methods. Now a days you can visit a site, pick up a trojan worm and lose a password in less than 5 minutes if it's stored on your computer! My advise to people using the Internet is to just use their common sense. If it's a website you don't know about or that someone hasn't recommended to you for music, video or software downloads then don't use it! Even if someone has recommended it to you, make sure you know their recommend is credible. Here are some tips...

Don't go to Internet sites unless you KNOW them. NOTE: A site being recommended to you by a friend may not be credible!
Don't download ANYTHING unless you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the file is credible. NOTE: A file being e-mailed to you from your best friend may not be credible!
Learn file formats and what they can do! Learn what a picture format extension looks like, (i.e. jpeg, tiff, img, gif, etc...) learn what fax extensions look like, (i.e. pdf, tiff, etc...) know what executable file extensions are, (i.e. exe). Finally, understand what they can do. (i.e. PDF files generally won't hurt you and won't deliver anything to your system.)

Just remember, if anything looks, feels or seems different at all in any way then don't mess with it. Protect your passwords, learn extensions, learn how your computer works and you'll be just fine! If you ever have any questions don't hesitate to ask me or someone that's very computer savvy and save yourself the headache of taking your machine in to be "cleaned" by a tech guy... (They'll probably just recommend a very expensive virus software anyway!)

One last thought here... and some resources!

Don't let your kids, co-workers, colleagues, friends or anybody on your computer. Buy them their own or tell them to use their own. As a last resort, if they have to use yours and you don't want to seem rude then let them use it but stand over their shoulder till they're done! I promise, you won't be sorry you did! Here are a few resources you can utilize to help keep you safe!

For software downloads and trials...

http://www.downloads.com or http://www.cnet.com (Also a great electronics review site!)

http://www.tucows.com (Be vigilant here too! This site has always been a good resource for me though.)

For music...

http://www.itunes.com (An obvious choice for most but I'll still post it here...)

For computer learning...

http://www.microsoft.com (Look for free tutorials and editorials on computer & Internet security)

http://www.cnet.com (Again, a great site for learning about software, computers and electronic gadgets.)

Blogs! Find people with good computer blogs that know what they're talking about. Subscribe to them and learn from their tips and tricks! Remember, if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask me anytime! Since RE isn't very busy I usually have plenty of time to help people!

Make it a great day!

Homes for Sale in Idaho Falls, ID

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 02:07:31 -0700

Here are some videos I've put together of my listings here in Idaho Falls. If you have any questions I'd love to answer them for you! Any constructive criticism from anyone is also welcome. I'm not a professional videographer, not many people are from Idaho Falls, ID, and I'm learning more and more as I do this on a daily basis! Feel free to comment at will!

Make it a great day!

The financial meltdown: Is it the Starbucks effect?

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:25:36 -0700

The financial meltdown: Is it the Starbucks effect?

Is Starbucks a stock to watch? As a financial indicator who would ever guess that watching a smaller company (and I say this with my tongue in my cheek) would make sense? I would have never guessed until I read this article. Daniel Gross, a columnist for Newsweek suggests that the global financial melt down could be predicted by watching places where Starbucks has set up shop in this article. It's a good read and an interesting take on what could prove to be true in my eyes.

My wife works for the local Starbucks here in Idaho Falls, ID so that the family can have some kind of health insurance. For 20 hours a week Starbucks will reward it's partners with an insurance program through Aetna Insurance. It's darned good insurance too when you consider that it's going to foot 75% of the bill for my daughters braces and for the entire family of 4 it only costs $150 for us to have good insurance. Keep in mind, she's only working about 25 hours a week to have this benefit. Name 2-3 other companies that would offer something similar to this... I'll bet you have a hard time doing so. If, on the other hand, you do find a company that will offer this benefit I'll bet they won't also pay for any schooling you decide to do as Starbucks will.

Make it a great day!

GRIFFINDER.COM

Breaking News: Good News for Real Estate? Largest Monthly Home Sale Percentage Increase in 5 Years Reported RISMedia

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:29:38 -0700

Breaking News: Good News for Real Estate? Largest Monthly Home Sale Percentage Increase in 5 Years Reported RISMedia

A little better news from under the medias radar again it would seem. This is an interesting article that may be worth a little more study it would seem. It is a direct contradiction to everything you might hear in the "other" news from around the world and the nation.

Could it be that things may be bottoming out? Could it be that this was truly just a cyclical trend that is starting to correct itself? It's anyone's guess but would more than likely be very welcomed "good" news in the world of real estate sales. I would very much like to see things start moving again even though Idaho Falls still has not taken the direct hit that the rest of the nation has with regards to negative growth rates. In fact, Idaho Falls, they are saying, has been having a positive growth rate.

The only concerns I would have, locally, are that usually Idaho Falls lags behind the rest of the nation for trend setting. If this holds true in this case then we should expect a negative growth rate at some point. If this "negative" growth rate is coming my only question is when? I've definitely noticed a major slow down in my selling this year and will be more than interested to see what happens this winter...

Make it a great day!

GRIFFINDER.COM

Merck's Free Radical - No Real Estate Today!

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:17:44 -0700

Merck's Free Radical - Forbes.com

Stephan Friend, a scientist with an attitude towards the future of cancer research. One has so many mixed feelings about this morally and ethically but once cancer has touched your life stories like this become heroic. My hats off to a guy that fought cancer in kids and is trying to find a cure for this dreadful disease that comes in many forms to all races and ages from every part of the world.

I just thought I'd write something a little off the topic of Real Estate for once. Lord knows we need a break from the mundaneness of the financial world and "housing crisis" for just a few minutes! A person can only handle so much economy news before they jump off a cliff. It's nice to know that throughout all this mess there's still people like Stephen Friend trying to make a difference in the lives of people the world over.

Make it a great day!

GRIFFINDER.COM

How Capitalism Will Save Us - Forbes.com

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:22:25 -0700

How Capitalism Will Save Us - Forbes.com

An interesting little positive bit of news for the day. "How Capialism Will Save Us." I still don't quite understand how we can really call ourselves "capitalists?" But hey!!! Positive news is much better than negative stuff so I'll take it! Make it a great day!

GRIFFINDER.COM

EXiT Recruitment

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:12:34 -0700

Just wondering if there are any fellow EXiT Realtors that are utilizing online avenues of recruiting. If so, are you seeing any success? What online avenues are you using for the purpose of recruiting?

I personally find it difficult to recruit people and "make them believe" in the program when I'm not face to face with them...

Thoughts, comments, derogatory remarks...??

Thanks and Make it a Great Day!

Rural Development

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:08:52 -0700

I'm sitting here in a CE class and learning about Rural Development loans here in Idaho. I gotta tell ya, this is incredible. If you aren't using RD loans you're missing out! RD loans are 100% loans that people can qualify for with very low credit scores. If you haven't already, I would recommend taking a class on RD loans.

There's my kicker for RD programs for the day!

Make it a great day!

Paul

Mary Kay

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:28:31 -0700

Speaking of different business models and my recent brokerage change in my last post made me think of something... My beautiful wife sells Mary Kay Cosmetics. She is also my assistant. I always told her that I would help her by doing something with my real estate stuff to promote her Mary Kay business... (i.e. websites, print media, etc...)

My question is in regards to ideas to help me do this... Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might incorporate this into my RE business? Any and all ideas are acceptable and hoped for!

You're not just helping her business out by doing this, you're helping out a loving husband to help his wife succeed!

Thanks!

Make it a great day!

Looking at the EXiT System Seriously

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:10:59 -0700

Well, I just moved to EXiT much to the dismay of the team I have been on for 3 years. I've been watching EXiT grow in my area for over a year now and studying the system for a little longer.

In my heart I was always an MLM guy. I've tried a plethora of different MLM business' and have never really done good at them so I always steered clear of the EXiT system as well. Hear me out...

Watching the local Idaho Falls EXiT get larger and more organized made sense in our sinking market... No desk fees, the thought of making residual income, etc... . Little did I know how dead wrong I really was about the whole system! The EXiT system is NOT an MLM at all! It's a SINGLE level marketing system that some have called a "binary" system. In other words, you don't get someone under you, make money off them and then make money off the people they get under them as well. It's one level deep. You sponsor an agent and make money off their deals, they sponsor an agent and make money off their deals and the cycle goes on. It's a very interesting system with a small split (usually 70/30) comparative to some of the larger offices and there's the possibility to make "residual" type income as well. I was growing more excited the more I looked into the plan...

It goes on... If I retire, I still get to make money off the people that I sponsored into the system. Oh, and yes, I can still recruit more people in. If I die, my wife (or whomever I name beneficiary) still makes the money off the people I sponsored in. The kicker here is that she can still sponsor people in and make more money (without being licensed). My interest level grew further...

I finally made the nervous and "out-of-the-box" jump over to EXiT yesterday. I'm changing listing agreements, putting in new signs for my existing listings, ordering new signs and riders for future listings and will be concentrating on updating all my stuff in the MLS today. What went form nervousness and excitement has now changed into fatigue. I plan to honestly blog here about my successes and failures with the EXiT company. This will be my 4th company in 5 years and the biggest things I pride myself on the most is my honesty and integrity. Posting my honest findings about the company here will not only allow me to keep an ongoing track of how I do but it will also help you, the readers of my blog, to get a "glimpse" into the business yourselves!

Happy reading and make it a great day!

Realty Times - Real Estate News and Advice

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:01:32 -0700

Realty Times - Real Estate News and Advice

Here's a great site I thought I'd bring everyone's attention to for Real Estate News. I'm sure most of you already frequent the site but for those of you that don't it's a pretty cool site to check out! I usually click on it once a day just to get a quick look at what's going on in the Real Estate World. Usually it's pretty positive and unbiased news about the market too, this is always a plus when you consider what the "other" news has to offer. :o)

Make it a great day!

GRIFFINDER.COM

Prayers Needed!

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:51:58 -0700

Well, I'm fairly new to AR but I can already tell I'm going to love it! Being able to get on and share my faith with the rest of the RE world when I live in a very small, very closed minded religious area of the country is invaluable to me! I'm not bashing anyone nor would I ever do so but a little diversity will be a good thing! I've enjoyed reading through all the postings I have read so far and can tell it's going to be a hard place to leave to get out in the field and work! :o)

All that being said, I'm going to be changing RE Brokerages this week from a private area brokerage to EXiT Realty! I'm excited for the move but a little (a lot) nervous about the move at the same time. It's always nerve racking to change offices... Please pray for me and my family in this lower market that I'll be successful and have a good transition and do good things for us all.

Thanks in advance!

God Bless!

Paul

-- Remember, Jesus was probably not a blond haired blue eyed, surfer dude that went around being nice to everyone. He fought for what He knew to be right and taught us to stand firm for the Word of God! Never be afraid to make a defense for your faith! -- 1 Peter 3:15

Bad news bucks up the dollar - Sep. 12, 2008

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 18:17:23 -0700

Bad news bucks up the dollar - Sep. 12, 2008

A little bright spot in the news! The dollar is rebounding after a 5 year fall! You can't beat that if you're in the market woes like everyone else around the nation. This is a great article and a must read to brighten your day a little. Unless of course you're the ever pesimest, then you'll be depressed anyway... :o)

Make it a great day!

GRIFFINDER.COM

Exit Realty Questions, Comments & Derogatory Remarks

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:40:54 -0700

It looks as though I will be joining the fastest ever growing real estate company, EXIT Realty! I'm excited about the potential move and hope it will be a good experience. The current office I'm in is a supposed "100%" office, even though I don't believe this is truly possible, and the office fees are killing me in our slowed economy.

Does anyone have any comments or derogatory remarks with regards to this real estate company? Has anyone recently joined that has any tips or suggestions? Has anyone studied the company and is thinking of joining but still hasn't gotten off the fence?

I'd love to hear everyone's comments and remarks with regards to EXIT Realty. I really like the plan so far from what I've studied and can't seem to find any downfalls with the current business plan. I love the idea of residual income and the potential of leaving something for my family if anything happens to me. The retirement thing isn't that bad either but I don't use the "R" word yet! :o)

Make it a great day!

Paul

What is UR txt msg str@tegy? | Tech News on ZDNet

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:14:06 -0700

http://news.zdnet.com/2424-9595_22-220218.html

Here's an interesting article on text messaging. I've read many articles on this subject but this one makes me think a little about the possibilities. Especially when I'm seeing more and more Realtors using this technology in their real estate business.

I know, I know, you're thinking, "Great, another item of 'to-do's!'" I blog, I run my web page, I do my follow up calls, schedule meetings, etc... The solid fact of the matter is, however, unavoidable. This business is NOT an easy one and when things get tough people tend to get tougher with their ideas and practices! Technology is and has been coming and there have been many fresh young-blooded people very savvy to this portion of life entering the real estate business for many years now. They are going to be thinking up fresh new ideas to incorporate them into their business practices successfully changing the way the market churns. I think it would be wise for all of us as Realtors, Mortgage Brokers and Inspectors to learn everything we can with regards to new technologies. Text messaging, believe it or not, fits this mold!

Have a great day!

GRIFFINDER.COM

Republicans Take Heart; Heart Takes It Back - Yahoo! News

Paul Griffin (EXiT Realty of Missoula Montana) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:25:23 -0700

Republicans Take Heart; Heart Takes It Back - Yahoo! News

Normally I try and stick to Real Estate issues but this one just plain took the cake for me today... I have to blog about this most recent article that caught my eye. If you can stand to read through the whole thing about a couple of adult "cry-babies" you'll see what I'm talking about. So, here goes, sorry if my thoughts offend you... no, on second thought, I'm not. Until the liberals of this country take it away, I still have my first amendment rights of free speech as a citizen of the United States of America...

Ok, I think things are just plain getting out of hand here...

I mean, come on!!!! We have people committing "real" crime every day of the week and then there's this crap. I'm going to jump on my soap box here a little. In the article above it references Heart as throwing a fit because one of their songs was used at the Republican National Convention. Supposedly, the Wilson sisters are upset because they were never asked before their song was played at the convention for VP Palin's entrance and exit at the national convention. I am a supporter of McCain but that has nothing to do with this blog. I'm just completely sick and tired of people being all upset about stupid things. Again, give me a break! We have much much much bigger issues to deal with than this crap, it's not even worth reporting yet the mainstream media will blare it all over the news... Just another example of liberal media for ya! I'll bet that if they did some research ol' obama probably didn't get permission from all the artists that were used at his flamboyant convention either.

Let's start concentrating on the issues that matter...

GRIFFINDER.COM