When you are snowed in for 3 days and my street is not even plowed, you find things to amuse you. The absolute beauty is overwhelming. Look at the colors of this cardinal. Is this a perfect red, white and blue photo?      The reason I have two bird feeders with the same food.. the squirrels don't know these containers are squirrel proof. This little guy certainly does not look underfed. So what does this have to do with real estate? Why Advertising is For the Birds

                                                                   And more beauty right outside my window..icicle sculptures and winter trees. 

 OK so there is a bit of work to do while enjoying all this beauty. That snow blower, along with me, got quite a workout. Maybe tomorrow the plow will come through so we can drive out. Maybe this will happen before the next storm.

 Uh oh... Our latest forecast:

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY. *PRECIPITATION TYPE... SNOW.* ACCUMULATIONS... 10 TO 20 INCHES

Thank goodness for Internet, scanners, email and tech savvy REALTORS(r) because I just received a full priced offer on one of my listings!

...and my street is not even plowed!

mrome@HomeRome.com

410.530.2400

Baltimore Snow is For the Birds!

Where is my driveway? Where are my steps?     

                                                                                B                                                                            Don't you love my beautiful supervisors?

                     Winter chair "cushions"

I found my steps buried under a few feet of snow!

 I had such good plans! We had plenty of warning about this blizzard and record breaking snowfall. So prepared I was....last night I went out and shoveled the 2-3 inches of snow from my driveway and front steps. Not too bad, it was a heavy snow.  Yes, I was going to stay ahead of this one. Figuring if I did this every couple hours, it would be a piece of cake.  Took a nap...slept well..woke up sore from the exercise... Ha..The next time I looked...where did my driveway and steps go?

It is soooo pretty but there is soooo much work to do.

Lenn Harley wrote a post earlier this morning and I commented " Beauty abounds as long as we have internet and electricity. Thank goodness for a backup generator which turned on only once during the night. Only one of the four TVs are working. My snow shovel and I are having multiple dates today. 

The male and female cardinals make excellent supervisors. Glad I put the camera in my pocket. Figure by the time I shovel the driveway (no time soon) and my front steps which are done... the plow might get here.''

So what does this have to do with real estate?  Take a look at a  few properties that you could Forget the Snow...Live in a Condo! 

Baltimore Snow is For the Birds! Beautiful birds! So glad I filled the feeders in preparation for the snow!

www.HomeRome.com

mrome@HomeRome.com

410.530.2400

15 Seconds a Day Can help supply musical instruments to kids! Please Vote!

Long long ago way back in 2007... does anyone remember the Flat Caleb posts?  Well just in case here is one.          Flat Caleb Meets Fluffy, and Cupcake Chews His Arm Off  

 The bottom part of that post was about my dear friend Anita Rozenel and  the charity she founded, Kids Helping Hopkins. She's a music teacher, and the driving force behind this educational program sponsored by Baltimore County Schools that has raised almost $1 million to help support young patients and their families at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

Today I received this email and I am asking ActiveRain members to take 15 seconds to vote. See the directions below:

"Dear Friends,   As you may remember, I was involved in production of a 3-minute video for "Hungry for Music", an amazing organization that supplies musical instruments to needy kids and schools.  At our school, Hungry for Music supplied a tenor sax, 6 brand new student violins, and a keyboard for my gifted student Tyron (he's featured on the video).  The video was submitted to Pepsi for a grant, and now your votes are vitally needed.  Please, please read Jeff Campbell's e-mail to me and the voting directions.  You'd need to register with Pepsi (it took me all of 15 seconds, and you know about my computer literacy!!).  Then, please, please, please log on each day and vote.  Jeff wants to supply 10,000 musical instruments to 10,000 kids in need.  He has applied for the $250,000 grant (this is the category you'll need to click on to get to the voting site.)   Again, please help us get these instruments into the hands of many, many musical kids.MANY THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!anita
________________________________

Pepsi is giving away $1,300,000 a month to fund ideas that have a positive impact and Hungry for Music is currently in the top ten with GET INSTRUMENTAL!, a campaign to donate 10,000 instruments to 10,000 underprivileged children.


It will only take a few minutes for you to help and we do need your help!

1.  Go to http://www.refresheverything.com.

2.  Join (at the left-hand corner at the bottom of the page).

3.  Go to "Leaders" in the $250,000 category and vote for Hungry for Music (or click there to see a brief project description and video, and then vote).

4.  Voting ends February 28.  Please vote for us once a day.

5.  Spread the word to your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere.

Thank you!

410.530.2400

mrome@HomeRome.com

My friend and my publisher, Peg Silloway, is going to be on the radio  this Saturday January 30th beginning at 5:05PM. The live interview is on Talkin Pets Radio

Here's your chance to call in with questions about your cats.  Can we keep the board lit up?

Peg is scheduled for the first 30-60 minutes. If there are too many calls, they might have to keep her on longer.

Toll free call in number: 866-606-TALK (866-606-8255)

Website - Listen online: http://talkinpets.com

Automated Showings and Automated Follow-up? No Thanks! I Make My Own!

Last weekend I had a really good reminder of why I make my own appointments and do my own follow-up. Here's what happened.

I made an appointment with the showing desk of a large brokerage for Saturday at 2:00 pm. At the appointed time, we went and spent an hour or so at the property with the buyers and some family members. As we were leaving the seller came home, and the buyers and seller had a very nice conversation about the home, the neighborhood, some repairs that had been made, complimenting the seller on his care of property, and so forth.

On Sunday, the agent called me for feedback, and I requested the Seller Disclosures (which have to be submitted with any offer), and made an appointment directly with the agent for a 4:00 p.m. showing that afternoon. 

Later on that same Sunday I got an email from the automated follow-up system asking for feedback on Saturday’s showing. I responded by email with "Please send me disclosures" even though I had already requested them by phone from agent.

In the afternoon we spent a couple hours at the property with the buyers - they brought friends this time - from 4:00 p.m. until it was so dark we had to go into the kitchen for some light. There was lots of discussion: Do we make an offer, what to offer, speaking with a lender, inclusions, settlement date, EMD, inspections etc., all pertinent information to writing an offer. Meanwhile, we were still waiting for disclosures.

The next morning, Monday, I received an automated confirmation for showing the house on Monday at 4:00 p.m. Nope, the showing already happened on Sunday! Once again I emailed the office and told them I was still waiting for the disclosures and had an offer to present.

Monday at 4:09 p.m. I got a phone call from the agent – the property is sold! The seller signed the contract 20 minutes ago, and "I guess you are at the house now." Um…not really…that was yesterday!

Less than half an hour later at 4:31 p.m. I got an email thanking me for showing at 4:00 today…and saying, "We would appreciate some feedback." Here is the feedback I sent:

"John, as you know I made two appointments, asked for disclosures twice, once from you, showed the property both times on Saturday and Sunday. Was asked by email twice and a call from you, the  listing agent, for feedback. Wrote an offer, while still waiting for disclosures, and got a call from you yesterday stating that the property was sold.

Today I am being asked again what our opinion is.

How do you think I should answer? Wonder what the seller's opinion is? There must be a better system!"

Talk about wasted weekend time and not just mine, but the buyers', the buyers' parents', the lender, not to mention the emotional time spent for first time buyers.

Yes, I do, make all my own appointments, and this is a really good example of why I will not trust my clients and my business to an automated system!

Automated Showings and Automated Follow-up? No Thanks! I Make My Own!

www.HomeRome.com

410-530-2400

But hey, ActiveRain is the media! 

It was in the middle of one of my busiest times – three new listings which meant three blogs, three MLS entries, three website updates, copies, photos…oh heck, you all know what goes into a new listing...plus, one settlement and contracts being negotiated for two buyer clients.

And this was the time that my wonderful daughter and husband decided to change our Internet service from cable to Verizon DSL while I was out on appointments. They were so sure I would not even notice the difference. Erica researched to make sure that the DSL would work, and she made all the arrangements even to the installation. I was proud of her.

Well you can imagine...I came home to NO internet.

Now you all know I don't "do upset." But that day.... I was on the phone with Verizon until after 1:00 a.m., and didn't get to bed until 3 a.m. Then back up at 8:00 a.m. and on the phone 'til 11:00 a.m. By then it was Friday morning, and I was told there could be no service until Monday…NOT ACCEPTABLE!

 Through all this, Erica stayed on a three-way call with me since she knew all the stuff from the installation. She kept saying, "I thought you don't do upset.” I was not upset with her, but was really frustrated by the non-response and poor service.

All I got was, "Sorry for the inconvenience, there are no technicians until Monday." No one to speak with, "The manager is busy, the supervisor also busy." One person had the audacity to say that I was residential not a commercial account, paying less, and implying I should get less service. That was the last straw!

So I suggested we get the media involved about how Verizon treats their customers. I said, "You have great commercials to knock cable and get our business, but you do not have the staff to take care of the new business. Maybe you could spend a bit more on satisfied customers and a bit less on getting new customers!" (You have all seen the commercials, right? Oh, could I relate this to real estate!)

So to each company person I said: "Please give me the spelling of your name and your position. You have been very nice and I want to make sure when I talk to the media that I have all the correct facts.” This was my line to each and every person I spoke with.

 And then…AMAZING results.

Leaving for a listing appointment. I made no more calls... but within a short period of time had seven calls from Verizon. The first one saying the matter was being looked into, then a call that a tech was on the way to my home. A call from a supervisor…she was on top of it. Gave me the number to the National Customer Relations person. Gave me my dispatch number.

Now I was in the middle of a listing appointment...not to be disturbed by the Internet situation.

The phone keep vibrating, I kept listing. A call from hubby that a wonderful senior technician was evaluating the problem. By this time I had had so many explanations, from "Maybe a bad box," to "You are too far away from the station," to "We have to check your lines, they may need to be replaced." I did not care what the problem was - I just wanted my damn Internet so I could go back to what I do…list, sell, and settle.

Finally, they sent someone who knew what he was doing. The connection was fixed by Cliff, the senior technician who has been with the company for 22 years.

No reason to raise my voice, but I did get what I needed.

So I guess I don’t need to get the media involved....

 But hey, ActiveRain is the media!

www.HomeRome.com

410-530-2400

I made a promise but need a lot of help keeping my word.

At a holiday party, I learned that one of the guests was selling a home in an area needed by my buyer. This house was not on the market yet, so I called the agent stating we would like to get in as quickly as possible. An appointment was made for Sunday, the day before this home would hit MLS.  So on the way home from the party, I put the address in my GPS and drove by.  Oh Noooooooo! Now What?

They wanted charm. Does this look like charm?

So I called my buyers and asked them to take a ride, and do it right now...prior to the showing.  Why did I ask that? Because this was one  U-G-L-Y house!

When working with buyers, I have them make a wish list of features in a perfect home. In my opinion, this house did NOT meet the kind of property they described..not by a long shot!

They wanted a charming home with a fireplace that they could feel good coming home to. In my opinion, this was not the charming home I envisioned for them. On the surface, this property did not seem like the "right" choice. 

They drove by and they commented: 

"It is an ugly house with no curb appeal."...and to my surprise they said..." but it can’t hurt to take a look. It is in the right neighborhood."

Having a qualified motivated buyer, it also helps to keep an open mind.

Actually, the inside was near perfect for their needs, minus the charm and the fireplace. It has a complete lower level (room for a playroom, office and a guest area), walk out patio and large family room. Many things met their needs, like the “newish” kitchen, and the cathedral ceiling bringing in lots of light. There are two full baths plus a powder room, the big fenced back yard, gas heat, gas cooking, room to make a guest room and hardwood floors. But it still looked the same on the outside. No landscaping, no curb appeal...even the grass clashed with the house!

After a bit of discussion..." let's make an offer" but not for the asking price. They had work to do to bring up the charm they so yearned for.

Armed with area comps....how would you answer this next question?

  How much do you take off for UGLY?

We got past that part. A price was agreed, contract ratified, home inspections performed, and our settlement occurred a few weeks ago. They are now in the process of painting, cleaning, refinishing floors and all the many things necessary to move into a new home. 

But remember...a promise was made!  And here it is:

I promised to help design the outside!

I really did not think we would get a suitable price.  Ha! - but we did ...so now I need to ask ActiveRain to help make this UGLY house a home these buyers could be proud of…and a house that I wanted to be proud of selling!

So here's the challenge: come up with your best ideas, best designs, best color schemes, and best landscaping. You know what I need. I can make this a contest. Not sure of what to offer as a bribe prize but I bet there are some creative Rainers, designers, stagers, landscapers out there who could ....

 Help me make this UGLY house a pretty house!

Will you help?

www.HomeRome.com

410-530-2400