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opinion: Are All Clients Created Equal? - 05/29/12 04:29 AM
Do you treat all your clients equally? I am not talking about discriminating along the legal and 'politically incorrect' lines, here, but rather along price-point lines. No one would expect that you spend as much marketing a 1 Bedroom condo as you would a 6 Bedroom Single family, but does your approach reflect an equivalent consideration for each seller's goals? I have noticed in a number of lower priced homes, agents do not even print out listings to leave at the house. Personally, I do a brochure--no matter how low the price. There certainly isn't as much to showcase in a 2 bedroom condo, so … (58 comments)
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opinion: When You Can't Afford to Let a Ball Drop! - 04/02/12 05:08 AM
We Realtors are a busy bunch. I am not saying that we are busier than every other profession, but the truth is that our profession is both detail and people oriented. Our ability to accomodate other folks schedules is what keeps us in business. The need to keep our paperwork current is what keeps us licensed. Those two sets of demands, alone, can keep a Realtor busy 40+ hours a week.
But, for the majority of us, these are just some of the balls we must keep in the air. In a perfect world, someone else would pay the bills, plan and … (9 comments)
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opinion: How Low is Too Low? - 03/26/12 05:53 AM
Dear Holly, I am getting ready to buy my first home and I am getting advice from all directions. Most people are telling me to 'go in low' on whatever offer that I make. The last thing I want to do is offend the seller by coming in too low. How low is too low when putting in an offer to buy a new home? Sincerely, Curious about the Market Dear Curious about the Market, This is an exciting time for you. You will find that this 'helpful' advice will continue up until the day you get the keys to your new … (6 comments)
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opinion: My Personal Thoughts on the U.S. Postal Service - 12/09/11 07:47 AM
Since no one ever seems to ask me what I think of the crisis at the Postal Service, I decided that today, I would use my blog to provide my opinion.
First off, I am a fan of the USPS. I remember as a little kid sending postcards and letters to pen pals around the country and the world. I use the postal service regularly for marketing and I still send Thank You notes. That said, I have some comments about the service. I don't care about Saturday service. There are many services and vendors that I don't have access to … (51 comments)
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opinion: Is Virtual Texting Still Texting? Is It The Answer? - 10/25/11 07:18 AM
One of my most popular blogs ever was about texting, A Very Sad Last Tweet.
Since I wrote this blog, texting has become even more prevalent. Distracted driving, of which texting is a major contributor, is a huge safety problem. Car manufacturers have come up with a system to help minimized distracted driving from texting, according to the article in today's Washington Post, Automakers embrace hands-free text-messaging technology. The question becomes, however, does this simply endorse a bad habit and make it easier to drive while distracted, or does it serve the public by making it less likely that drivers will text while driving? Personally, I … (15 comments)
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opinion: Teach Your Children To Enjoy Real Food! - 10/16/11 04:05 PM
This is my entry for Blog Action Day 2011. The obesity epidemic is spreading around the world. At first, it seemed like an American problem, but more and more, I am hearing about other countries who have similar issues with their growing population. It is no secret that salt and sugar can take a lot of the blame for this. What would Doritos or Potato Chips be with out salt? Unpalatable! How about ice cream with no added sugar (or artificial sweetner)? You might as well eat frozen milk! The problem is that our taste buds become addicted to the added sugar and salt. If … (7 comments)
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opinion: My Personal Anecdotal Evidence that The Economy Is Getting Better - 10/11/11 10:05 AM
Negativity breeds negativity and I can't help but feel that the media is driving so much of the economic slowdown by pushing us toward panic. When business owners are scared, they don't hire. When homeowners are scared they don't improve their homes. When banks are scared, they don't loan money. And on and on and on. Certainly, this is a simplistic, and incomplete, view of the economy. BUT...I can't help but feel that hearing positive news can have a positive effect on the economy. For that reason, I have decided to share some things that I have noticed or experienced lately. We got our refinance done. We … (2 comments)
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opinion: What are Your Thougths on the 'New' Facebook? - 09/24/11 09:36 AM
This week, Facebook introduced some major changes to its layout and features. These changes were not universally accepted by my peer group--a lot of complaining showed up in people's statuses, mine included. My kids (21, 19 and 15) have not even mentioned them.
I think this kind of thing is where the age and generational differences become very apparent. For me, Facebook is like a really easy, enhanced, email network. I can find people without much effort (who want to be found) and give them brief updates about my life. If they care to find out more, they can. If they don't really care, they can choose to … (9 comments)
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opinion: Should this Law be Changed? - 09/13/11 10:39 AM
I am walking the dog. We approach the busy intersection and I press the button and wait for the cross-walk signal. The light changes, the pedestrian signal lights up and I take a step forward and... STOP!!!!!!!!!!!The car approaching the intersection just ran through her red light without even a glance in my direction. She was 1) on her cell phone, and 2) following the commonly accepted practice of making a right turn on red without stopping. A quick glance left told her there was no traffic coming and she went ahead and made the turn. I am old enough to … (4 comments)
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opinion: Why I Chose Real Estate--Or Did I? - 08/13/11 11:44 AM
When I was a child, a typical Saturday afternoon might mean accompanying Mom to get a signature on a listing or to drop off a contract. This was back in the day before fax machines, cell phones and computers. Her job as a Realtor® meant many hours in the car and lots of time away from home. Frankly, I hated it. Although I loved the chance to see all the really pretty homes, I decided early on that real estate was not for me! I went to college, graduated, found a really great consulting job, got married, left the crazy demands … (5 comments)
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opinion: Have you heard of 'ST&D?' - 07/14/11 09:01 AM
Have you heard of 'ST&D?' And no, it is not some sort of unmentionable condtion... I read today that New York has passed a new anti-texting law called 'ST&D' (Stop Texting and Drive). It is now considered a primary offense to be texting and driving, and if an officer suspects you doing it, you will be stopped and ticketed. No other violation has to occur; suspicion of texting and driving can get you pulled over and ticketed. You can find a brief overview of the new legislation in, New York ban on texting and driving gets tougher with new law. Texting … (6 comments)
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opinion: Hooray for the Nosy Neighbors! - 07/10/11 04:52 PM
I was out front with the dogs when my good friend, and neighbor, came by to report on the Open House down the street. I had been in earlier in the week to preview the property, so she stopped by to give me her perspective. It got me thinking about a comment I heard recently from a prospective seller. She said if she listed with me, she did not want me showing the house to the neighbors--ever-- and certainly did not want me doing an Open House. In her words, 'they just want to see how you have decorated and report … (30 comments)
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opinion: Creating a Sound Financial Future - 06/25/11 10:17 AM
There has been a lot of discussion in the media lately about proposals to require a minimum down-payment on all home purchases of 20%. Personally, I think this will keep young adults from becoming homeowners for far longer than necessary. As a young about-to-be-married couple, my husband and I purchased our first home with a 5% down payment. I had to leave settlement to go pick up my paycheck because we were a little short of cash (in the days before auto-deposit). We were a great credit risk; we had secure, well-paying jobs and bright futures. We went on to sell … (9 comments)
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opinion: Happiness is a choice--make it! - 06/16/11 02:24 PM
Happiness is a choice--make it! We all know that life is not perfect. Bad things happen to good people. We have health scares, we lose jobs, we lose people we love, we break things, we lose things, we make bad decisions, our children/parents/friends make bad decisions. Stuff happens. That's life! We cannot control (most of) the bad things that happen. All we can control is how we react to them. We have free will. We can decide if we are going to happy, despite the bad things that come our way, or we can decide if we are going to be … (13 comments)
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opinion: Thankful For An Easy Transaction--For a Change! - 05/24/11 08:32 AM
Sometimes you just need an easy one to keep going. Maybe I am deluding myself in saying this was an easy one. Last Spring we did a test run (listing prep & Broker's Open), got some feedback and decided to delay the listing. My clients listend to the feedback, made some updates and got their house in great, competitive shape. This Spring we tried again and quickly got a contract (following a Public and Broker's Open). Not so fast, they purchasers changed their mind within a week and half. Back to the drawing board and back on the MLS. This is … (3 comments)
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opinion: Relishing the Stress of Real Estate - 05/01/11 02:02 PM
It will come as no surprise to those of us in the trenches that Real Estate has been determined to be one of the top 10 most stressful jobs by careercast.com according the article by CNBC.com, America's Most Stressful Jobs 2011.
According to the article, ' incomes are based on commission, and there is uncertainty regarding future sales and job availability.' Welcome to the world of real estate. The article does not, however, tell the whole story. Personally, the reason that I find it so stressful is that we are dabbling in people's personal lives and private ambitions. When we … (5 comments)
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opinion: I Don't Need No Stinkin' Report to Tell Me About the Market! - 04/26/11 09:35 AM
The Spring Market is alive and well in Northern Virginia! How do I know this? It certainly isn't from the reports I hear daily on my local news, I know it because my favorite pants are getting snug and my blog has been neglected! In theory, those things that are important to our well being (such as exercise and marketing) should NEVER be neglected. People will tell you that you can always find the time for things that are a priority. Well, when the Spring Real Estate market kicks in, I beg to differ. I am a life-long exerciser. I was … (0 comments)
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opinion: Newer Car? Uncomfortable Headrest? - 02/15/11 01:49 PM
I drive a 2010 Toyota Venza. It replaced a 2007 Audi Q7. Both of these cars have unbelievably uncomfortable seats due to the head rests. They are certainly not designed for a gal who is 5'4". The angle of the head rest is such that no matter what position the seat is in , the head rest pushes my head forward about 15º (maybe not that much, but it sure feels like it). Driving around town it was uncomfortable. Taking a long trip, however, it was excruciating! After one such trip, I removed the head rest and reversed it (picture to … (6 comments)
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opinion: A Show Worth Your Consideration: Friday Night Lights - 02/06/11 10:41 AM
The show Friday Night Lights has long been a favorite of our family. It has never taken off with the public the way that we expected it to, but it also never received prime placement by the networks. We are a a DVR family and almost never watch anything live. We choose our television based on reviews and if we watch it, and it makes the cut, we add it to the recording list. I am sure we miss a lot of entertaining television that way (or not!), but we see most of the shows that are critically acclaimed--at least the … (3 comments)
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opinion: Full Day Kindergarten for all Fairfax County Schools - 02/05/11 09:24 AM
Full Day Kindergarten for all Fairfax County Schools The Fairfax County School board voted this week to implement Full Day Kindergarten in all Fairfax County Schools. This has been a long time coming. The county had begun rolling out this program, and had implemented it in a number of elementary schools, and then was forced to halt it when budget issues arose. Finally, after community pressure, the county has agreed that their world class school system should provide an equal opportunity to all of its students. The argument against Full Day Kindergarten is that not all children are ready to attend … (1 comments)
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Holly Weatherwax--Your Realtor® in Northern VA
Reston,
VA
More about me…
Momentum Realty,LLC
Address: Reston,Herndon,Great Falls, Vienna, Oakton, Oak Hill, Falls Church, Sterling, Potomac Falls, McLean,Chantilly, Leesburg, Ashburn, Reston, VA
Office Phone: (571) 643-4902
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