Austin Texas Real Estate Blog (and other stuff)

Are you supporting "Movember"? Check it out!

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:26:21 -0600

Last Sunday, my good friend Ben Finklea was here enjoying an afternoon of NFL football, when he suddenly asked me if I had heard about "Movember".

Nope. Not until that moment.

It turns out that Movember is an initiative to raise money for prostate and testicular cancer research. It involves not shaving for an entire month in an effort to grow a mustache/goatee/chin beard, etc. I have seen a lot of people talking about it this week.

I am not participating myself as a "grower", for a couple of reasons:

I am not very good at growing facial hair, and I don't want to scare anyone. My talent is growing a nice thick neck beard. Gross.
My wife hates me with facial hair. Enough said.

However, I did take some time to donate $20 to each of the two friends who asked, since it's a good cause and they are embarrassing themselves publicly, and who doesn't enjoy that?

Incidentally, I am either too old (or young) to have ever heard a mustache referred to as a "mo" before now. But I digress...

If you would like to donate, check out Ben's page right here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/214457

I promised Ben that I would help to spread the word, so stop by at the link above and donate ANY amount to the cause. Even a single dollar will help.

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Should I Really Care About What You Think? Learning to be more transparent

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:00:02 -0600

When I was a young(er) man, back before I was a father of four, or a Realtor, or a blogger, my wife Pam and I used to do our grocery shopping at around 11pm to miss the crowds. We got to know the nighttime checkers and managers at the local store.

Recently, Pam reminded me about how I used to buy "camouflage" foods in an effort to make the cashier believe that we were consuming something with nutritive value, rather than strictly junk food. Today, as I was shopping, I was buying ingredients for a highly decadent Oreo cheesecake that my daughter is making for her Brownie/Girl Scout event tomorrow. I also loaded up on candy, Tostitos, diet sodas, and other stuff that could never be deemed health food. Guess what? I didn't even bother with the camouflage food. Instead, I was perfectly content to roll my cart filled with snacks to the front.

This struck me as analogous to my blogging efforts over the past couple of years. When I started out, I assumed that I was "supposed" to write about business stuff only. At the very least, I thought that I needed to include some market reports as part of the mix so that no one would know that I simply enjoy writing, regardless of whether it results in sales. Thankfully, along the way, I've had plenty of sales, too.

When I am teaching others about social media and blogging, one of the most common questions I get is this:

"But what should I blog about? I don't have much to say."

My answer is a short one: ANYTHING that you feel comfortable writing about publicly is fair game.

There's no magic formula for blogging, and I don't think you should ever listen to self-proclaimed experts who tell you that you should have 20% personal, or 50% business, or 0% fun. Just write, and you will become a better writer over time. Blogging provides another unique opportunity that writers didn't have in the old days - instant feedback!

In the pre-blogging era, authors, journalists, and anyone else who aspired to communicate via the written word would have loved to have comments on their works as they progressed and honed their skills. You and I probably take this for granted now, right?

I realize that transparency is an overused buzzword in the social media arena these days, but I still think it's an important concept for businesses and individuals using these tools. Almost every single sale that I have had (including an astounding SIX in the pipeline right now) have come from my willingness to let people get to know me as a person, not just as a real estate broker.

Writing about real estate all day makes Jack a dull boy.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaboobie/92663750/

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Our First PG-13 Rated Show on Social Media Edge!

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:33:54 -0600

Ken Cook and I have been hosting Social Media Edge together now for almost a year, and we have a great time while still striving to provide solid, helpful information. Today, our guest was Jennifer Iannolo of http://foodphilosophy.com.

During today's episode, we discussed the following topics (and in the words of Dave Barry, I am not making this up):

Twitter tattoos
The first social-media generated cookbook
Ayn Rand
Why those who blog get more traffic than those who don't
Dead people on Facebook
Shaved truffles
At least one topic that I can't even mention here

Additionally, if you want to learn the difference between #sexonaplate and #foodporn, you won't want to miss this hilarious episode:

http://budurl.com/smedge110309

I have a feeling that this may end up being our highest-rated show to date, but we'll see. :) In order to listen to any of our previous episodes, visit our Facebook page at http://facebook.com/socialmediaedge.

Incidentally, if you would like your own custom Facebook business page, contact Mike Mueller, master of all things Facebook.

Thanks for listening!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Must....Get...Help. Child....Too....Cute.

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:16:38 -0500

The title above refers to an old Dana Carvey routine, when he was talking to his son, who asked him, "Dad - does God have feet?" My wife and I use this phrase pretty often around our house, since we've had a series of cute kids over the years.

I just wanted to share some recent pictures of the baby. The first two pictures below were taken a couple of weeks ago at the portrait place in the mall. The last one was taken by my wife, and it makes a really good screensaver for my laptop. :)

I can't believe that Jenny went from sitting up to crawling and now pulling up and even cruising a little bit. She's only 6 1/2 months old, and this is by far the earliest standing child we've had. She also has two teeth now, with two more on the way, it seems.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Are Happy Days Here Again? Time Will Tell

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:23:13 -0500

This is purely anecdotal evidence with regard to any big turnaround locally, but I have been happy and a little surprised at how much luxury home buying and selling activity we have seen at our company in the last quarter of 2009. Over the past week or so, agents at our company have been working on the following:

Buyers looking at homes up to $3 million
Buyers up to $2 million
New listing for $800,000

Needless to say, this would make for a phenomenal final quarter for us.

As always, I get the same question many times each day, "So, how is the market doing these days?" I'm never one to pull punches, so if things are rough, I say so. These days, whenever I say that we've been really busy in the second half of the year, most people assume it's because of the much-talked-about tax credit for first-time buyers. In our case, nothing could be further from the truth. I have exactly ONE buyer that will benefit from the tax credit (the current one, not the proposed one).

With that in mind, it makes me hopeful for 2010 and beyond, as the economic indicators seem to be improving at last and the general vibe is a positive one. As I've written before, perception becomes reality, so when people think the economy is getting better, they spend money and it happens. The converse is also true. When people are told that times are bad, they stay home and stop spending money.

As a quick example, I still remember the reaction of our clients after 9/11 happened. They froze. Our team closed one deal in the entire last quarter of 2001. Was there less money at that point? Nope. Had any of our buyers who cancelled lost their jobs? Again, no. They were worried about the financial future of our country, so they stopped buying, at least for awhile. Unfortunately, THAT is what made things truly bad, not the original source of the fear.

I never advocate lying when friends or clients inquire about the state of the market, but I do advise sharing success stories if you have them. As economic news (hopefully) continues to improve overall, this could lead to increased consumer spending on many fronts, and we may just see a real recovery.

Quick disclaimer: Although I minored in Economics in college, the stuff above is just my own opinion.

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Using my ActiveRain Blog with Current and Potential Clients

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:12:19 -0500

I have been here on ActiveRain for two years and two months (sounds a bit like the old Chuck Woolery "2 and 2" quote). During that time, I have been very pleased to see how many consumers have found my blog. I've written over 900 posts, and most of those are "public", meaning that they are indexed by Google and the other search engines.

One of my posts, Austin Texas Relocation Package, was the result of a contest that was the brainchild of one of my friends, Adam Waldman, and backed by Bob Stewart. It has been at the top of Google for a long while now, resulting in almost 31,000 visits (see graphic from my "Statistics" page below). As you can see, it only has 36 comments, most of which came during the first month or so that it was up, but it has averaged about 1500 visits monthly since it was written in early March of 2008.

The post itself is a collection of links and descriptions for 26 other AR posts that I wrote back around that time, including a somewhat-informal introductory letter to buyers, and answers to the most frequently asked questions that I get from people who are considering relocating to the Austin area.

I send this one to most out-of-town and out-of-state buyers that I speak with, and it gets them much further along in the process with very little additional effort. Sometimes, I get calls from buyers who are looking at that post and calling it my "site", as in, "Your site at Activerain.com has a lot of great information." :) It's clearly working.This post is not the only example, but it's the most dramatic with regard to traffic.

Sometimes, when I have a buyer with specific questions, I make sure to send them one of my posts on that subject when I email them. In fact, I would highly recommend using questions from your clients to serve as blog topics. If one client has the question, it's likely to come up again, right?

Frankly, and this may sound a little cavalier to say, but it seems to impress clients if we are discussing an issue, and I tell them, "I actually wrote about this on my blog. Let me send you that article after we finish talking." I guess it's much like the old saying about "writing the book" on any given topic.

I have also used my blog to train and instruct the agents who work at my company. As a broker/owner, this helps me to better leverage my time, so that I don't have to cover the same ground over and over again.

Since I share all of my public posts on Facebook via the "Notes" application there, I often have friends from church or other acquaintances who mention reading stuff that I originally posted here. I am typically surprised by which people took the time to read my blog - I guess I'm less surprised than I used to be, however.

One additional point which you may find helpful came up the other day when I had lunch with Ian Greenleigh of DriveBuy Technologies. We both think it's a good idea to peruse blogs outside of AR in an effort to get additional exposure and gain more friends/contacts. If you comment elsewhere regularly, you can become one of the "regulars" there, too. I realize that there are only so many hours in the day - it's just an idea to get your name out there a bit more. This notion is also discussed in "Trust Agents", by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. Whenever you do take the time to comment, make sure you link back to your AR blog (or outside blog) to gain more potential readers.

Thanks very much for reading!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barnett/2836828090/

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Austin Takes the Top Spot for Increased Search Activity for Realtor.com!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:16:30 -0500

I am happy to report that our company has been quite busy selling homes lately here in Austin, with the last quarter shaping up very nicely. In fact, this has probably been the most active season for our company in about two years.

My friend Brian Block, who is a broker in the northern Virginia/D.C area, sent me a link to an interesting and encouraging article from Realtor.com, which states that Austin took the top spot in year-over-year search increase on Realtor.com, with a 91% jump from September 2008 to September 2009. WOW! This is clearly very exciting news for us. Brian spotted this article on Twitter.

Thankfully, we have seen similar results with the traffic to our website at www.austintexashomes.com, which is in the top 5 results on Google for almost every major real estate term that I care about.

The other cities in the top five were Las Vegas, New Orleans, Reno, and Tyler, Texas. Tyler came as an interesting surprise to me. My parents lived in Tyler just before I was born and we have relatives in that area.

If you would like to see the entire article, visit http://bit.ly/THTQd.

Austin remains one of the most affordable and desirable places to live in the U.S. If you're considering making a move, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package right here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

I would love the opportunity to help you find the right home in the general Austin area. You can also visit our Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Avery Ranch Home for Sale - 11016 Casitas Drive - $225,000

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:55:38 -0500

One of our agents just listed a nice home in the Avery Ranch area overlooking the golf course and a scenic pond, too! It's hard to find places in the sub-$250,000 range like this.

Features:

3 Bedrooms, 2 Full Bathrooms
1937 square feet per tax records
Backs to golf course and pond
Built by Gehan Homes in 2005
Fresh paint and carpet (October 2009)
Island kitchen w/ silestone counters, beautiful mahogany cabinets, and black appliances
Home office with dark wood flooring right off the living area
Light and bright!
Covered patio
Immaculately maintained - Shows like a model

If you have any questions at all or if you would like to set up a time to take a look at this home, feel free to give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 (cell) or email me at jason@austintexashomes.com. If you are interested in searching all Austin homes for sale, visit my website at www.austintexashomes.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

I have over 10,000 Twitter followers now - What does this really mean?

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:36:40 -0500

I remember getting invited to check out Twitter about 2 years ago. Next, I remember thinking that it seemed useless. Months passed....I got emails that said things like, "@delicioushair is now following you on Twitter". WHAT?!? Why?

The notion of someone following me used to strike me as both odd and off-putting. I guess it sounds catchier than saying that someone is "paying attention to you on Twitter", but that's basically exactly what this means. I prefer to think of my subscribers, friends, contacts, and followers as part of my online audience. The better you are at building an audience, the more likely you are to convert this to actual business growth, in my opinion.

Over time, I got the hang of it, and I finally jumped in with both feet just over a year ago, and I'm thankful that I did.

As of a couple of days ago, I have over 10,000 people paying attention to me on Twitter. What's the significance of this? Well, by itself, not much. I had a brief conversation on Twitter with Derek Overbey (@doverbey) after crossing this milestone. He mentioned that quality is more important than quantity, and I agree wholeheartedly. I think having BOTH is pretty nice, too. :)

I consistently see Twitter users with 20,000 or even 50,000 followers who have really only built a very big house of cards for themselves. They never converse with anyone, and they are still trying to use Twitter like a traditional marketing channel, by broadcasting information rather than hanging out and listening.

A few nights ago, I was happy to be able to attend a local "tweetup" (Twitter-based meetup) with author Shel Israel. I even got to sit next to him at dinner, which made my day. Shel is the author of the newly released book "Twitterville" and co-author with Robert Scoble of one of the seminal books on blogging, "Naked Conversations". During dinner, we had an interesting discussion with my local friend Mike Chapman about the fact that no politician has truly utilized social media yet, including President Obama. Obama's campaign certainly did a very effective job of using the tools to broadcast their message, but that's not the same thing as listening and joining the conversation. Shel noted that it would be newsworthy (and bookworthy) for a candidate to do this.

As with the candidates who jump on the bandwagon to appear hip, the same thing goes for anyone attempting to use Twitter to build his/her business. You must listen! Sending links from your blog posts, or just having a profile is not enough. What if someone responds to your post but you aren't even there to see it? In much the same way, having a giant number of followers means nothing if they are all spambots, or if you are never around to speak with them. Raw numbers are not the important part - engagement is.

I am happy to hit this new plateau, but I also recognize that the key to success in any social medium is being consistent.

Over the past 24 hours, I had two of my agents contact me, excited about new prospects that they have. One of them is looking to spend up to $3 million for a waterfront home (fully pre-screened - it's his friend's fiancee), and the other is considering homes priced in the $1 million range. If they both close, I would stand to make $22,500 or more for our company. Why am I bothering to tell you this? Because I met BOTH of these agents on Twitter. It's a phenomenal recruiting tool if handled correctly.

P.S. Just a quick tip: If you want to get serious about using Twitter to build relationships and your business, I would highly recommend using TweetDeck, Seesmic Desktop, or something similar. It makes it easier to pay attention to the people you care about and form bonds with them.

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Why I Love Being a Dad (VIDEO proof)

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:34:58 -0500

If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you probably already know that I truly love my kids. Here's a quick and unedited video that I took tonight of our 3-year-old (Abby) and our 6-month old (Jenny). Abby would probably kiss and hug Jenny all day if we allowed it. In fact, my wife calls it "aggressive cuddling". I really like that term. I hope you enjoy this one. I play the part of the camera man/soon-to-be-jungle gym.

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Top Ten Social Media Edge Episodes (Both Live and Archived) - Just for You!

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:52:38 -0500

I thought it would be an interesting exercise to see which of our Social Media Edge episodes have attracted the most attention. We have had 46 shows to date.

I'm not sure which one is a more interesting measure of success - "live" listeners or archive listens. Hence, I have included both of them here. All of the top five in the live category garnered over 100 listeners during the recording. All of the top archived shows have received over 600 listens. It's exciting to see the audience grow after the recorded programs are available. :)

Considering the fact that Sarah Evans was the only person to make both lists, perhaps we should consider having her back on the show sometime!

Top five shows for live listeners:

Social Media Edge - Special Guests Reggie and Nicole "Nik Nik" Nicolay

Social Media Edge - Special Guest Cathy Browne

Sept 15th - Special Guests HeyAmaretto, MayaREguru and Lesley Lambert

Sept 1st - Special Guest PR Sarah Evans

Brad Nix, Matt Fagioli REtechSouth

Top five shows for archive listens:

Guest James Shiner of TweeplePages

Very Special Guest Steve McGranahan - "World's Strongest Redneck"!

Guest Andrew Stone - Developer of "Twittelator" for the iPhone

Sept 1st - Special Guest PR Sarah Evans

Bloggers Sued for Product Endorsement?

So, why not take some time over the weekend and give them a listen. I think you'll find that we try to keep things both fun & informative. I would love to hear your feedback on what you think after you listen. Thanks!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

"Social Media Edge" Radio Archives - By Popular Demand!

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:49:04 -0500

Every week or two, I get a handful of requests regarding the archives for our BlogTalkRadio show, Social Media Edge. Sometimes these requests are via email, and other times I get quick notes on Twitter or Facebook asking about a particular show that we had before.

In an effort to make it easier to find all of our shows in one place, I had written a post about this a few months ago. Since then, I got too busy to keep that post updated properly, so I would like to publicly thank Mike Mueller, who is a regular part of our show, for keeping the archives up to date.

Mike moved the archives over to our Facebook fan page: http://facebook.com/socialmediaedge.

You can pretty much see where Mike took over, since the summary notes dramatically improved over my own. :)

So, if you have any interest in hearing a previous show, with our phenomenal guests, head over to the Facebook URL above to find some great info from authors like Shel Israel, Paul Chaney, and Tara Hunt, or social media specialists like Sarah Evans, Reggie and Nicole Nicolay ("Nik Nik"), Connie Reece, Jay Baer and Mike Chapman. Once, we even had the World's Strongest Redneck. We liked having the Twitterqueens founders so much as guests, we gave them their own one-hour show on the network!

Mike is now hosting "The M Files" and Diane Guercio, Maya Paveza, and Lesley Lambert now host TQ Radio - both shows air on Monday at the same URL as Social Media Edge: http://blogtalkradio.com/jckc

We hope to continue expanding the network, and I like the sense of community that we've managed to foster. Join us sometime!

Here's this week's episode, to whet your appetite a little:

Oct 20th - Special Guest Mike Chapman

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Blackhawk Home for Sale - Pflugerville - 20921 Texas Meadows - Offered at $219,000

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:33:49 -0500

I just listed a home today in the Estates of Blackhawk in Pflugerville which I expect to sell very quickly. In fact, I don't think I have seen a home in this price range with the upgrades that this one has to offer.

Take a quick look at some of the features:

5 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms
2623 square feet per tax records
Built in 2006
Large formal dining room fits table that seats twelve!
Highly upgraded kitchen with Jennaire stainless appliances (including a double convection oven)
Undermount sink
Granite countertops
Large ceramic tile flooring
Master down
4 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms upstairs
Large lot (.232 acre)
Very convenient to 130 & 45 (toll roads)
Dedicated gas stub for grill (Jennaire gas grill also stays!)
Neighborhood amenities include pool, clubhouse, workout facility, and more!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Virtual REBarCamp - Learn from the Comfort of Your Home or Office! It's FREE!

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:08:00 -0500

I was excited to see that the very first virtual Real Estate Barcamp is being held on November 17th. They are anticipating over 1000 agents to attend from across the United States (there are already 272 registered attendees as of this writing). Having attended a live version in Houston last year, I can attest to the value of this event.

They will have some terrific sessions and teachers, from the list I saw earlier today. There are still openings if you're interested in hosting your own session. There have enough virtual "room" for 27 total.

Current session topics include:

Social Media Risk Management
Flickr for Real Estate
Developing Your Brand
Online Advertising Secrets
Facebook for Real Estate
WordPress Training
Daily Goal Tracking
Starting a Real Estate Blog
...and more.

Following the virtual event, there will be many "in real life" meetups around the country. I am considering hosting one of these myself, depending on the interest level here in Austin.

The sessions will run from about 11am to 6pm Central time (9am to 4pm Pacific). You can get more details and track the progress here: http://rebarcamp.com/virtual/. I hope to see you there!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

I Had a Big Week for ActiveRain Results!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:24:04 -0500

Over the past week or two, I had two referrals from my friends here at ActiveRain, AND one of the biggest closings we've had in months. The closing came from a consumer who found my blog months ago and became a "fan". He liked what I had to say about the area where I live so much that he and his wife bought a place about 3 minutes from my home.

One of the referrals, from my friend Trey Thurmond in College Station, was a listing that went under contract after four days! The other referral is from Steve Shatsky in Dallas - he and I have had a chance to speak a number of times over the past year or so, and I consider him a trustworthy friend. I am meeting to discuss listing Steve's friend's house tomorrow evening. Both clients seemed 100% convinced to use my services based on glowing praise from Trey and Steve. Thanks very much, guys!

All told, the closing and the contract will result in about $16,000 in commissions, and the new listing should be another $5,000-6,000 (research pending on the CMA). Now THAT is a good feeling. I figure any tool that has the potential to bring me over $20,000 in a one-month span is worth continuing. :)

Last night, I was attending a "tweetup" in Austin (Twitter-based meetup), and someone asked me if I had any tangible results from blogging or social media participation as a real estate broker. He was surprised at my concrete answers, and since he's doing a presentation at the NAR conference in San Diego next month, he may want to use my blog as a case study there. Awesome!

I can't overstate the importance of social media going forward. The tools may change, but the method of developing relationships online at light speed will not. As our radio show guest stated today, "The internet is like word-of-mouth on steroids."

Big thanks to Trey and Steve for thinking of me and trusting me enough to safeguard their referrals. I treat them like gold. I hope to be able to reciprocate at some point soon!

Photo credit - Refracted Moments (found via Flickr.com).

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

"Adoption Rocks!" Austin Texas Charity Benefit Concert - Looks like fun! (Video included)

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:28:23 -0500

Our guest today on Social Media Edge was Mike Chapman, a local friend of mine that I met via Twitter a few months ago. He talked about an upcoming event that his company is helping to promote. I think it's a very worthy cause, and I wanted to help him spread the word. It's for International Adoption Month and it benefits the Gladney Center for Adoption: http://www.adoptionsbygladney.com/

Both of my parents were adopted, so without adoption I wouldn't even exist! Clearly, this is a cause near and dear to my heart. :) My wife and I were very close to adopting back when we got pregnant in 1998. That was four children ago for us! I am always in favor of any initiatives to help bring children to couples and families that really want them and can give them a better life.

Here's some information that Mike provided for this post:

The event is a benefit concert called "Adoption Rocks!", and it was inspired by a local Austin family who adopted their beautiful Ethiopian daughter through Gladney. Upon learning of the trip to Ethiopia, friends hosted a live musical event last November to raise money for the Ethiopian orphanage.

The event was so special and so well-received that those involved decided to do it again but in a much bigger way! This promises to be a unique, fun event that will donate money raised to support the many programs and services Gladney provides.

The Gladney Center is a licensed, not-for-profit agency that has been creating bright futures through adoption since 1889. Today, Gladney stands as an international leader in adoption services and has placed thousands of children in loving homes. Gladney facilitates domestic as well as international adoptions from 9 different countries including Russia, China, Guatemala, and Mexico. Besides education, social events and life long support, post-adoptive services are provided from the Gladney Center for birth parents, adopted children, and their families.

They set up a Facebook fan page right here: http://budurl.com/adoptfb

The video below makes a very compelling case. In my case, it brought swift tears as well.

Although the details are on the Facebook page I mentioned above, here they are again:

Location: Long Center For Performing Arts (near downtown Austin, TX)

Entertainment:

Dumpstaphunk (Ivan Neville's group)
John Pointer
The Sangra del Sol Dance Troupe

Tickets: $100 each ($50 of each ticket is tax-deductible) To order, just click on desired show time link below and enter the promotional code "ADOPTIONROCKS" (all caps)
7:30 pm link = http://budurl.com/adopt1
9:30 pm link = http://budurl.com/adopt2

Sponsorships are still available, and there will also be a silent auction held. Hors d'oeuvres will be served, and there will be a cash bar available as well.

For more information, please contact Mike Chapman: mikechapman2.0@gmail.com

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

"Trust Agents" - Chris Brogan & Julien Smith - Quick Book Review

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:11:13 -0500

To state that Chris Brogan is a social media rockstar might just be an understatement. He has over 31,000 subscribers to his blog at ChrisBrogan.com. He has over 100,000 followers on Twitter right now. Clearly, he knows how to develop an audience of people who will pay attention to him.

And now, he has a book, too.

"Trust Agents", which Chris co-wrote with veteran trend analyst Julien Smith of InOverYourHead.net, is a solid field guide for new users of social media as well as seasoned veterans. The tips are practical and easy to start implementing right away.

The book is comprised of six overarching ideas on how to position yourself online and make a real impact using tools that are readily available to all of us, most of which are absolutely free.

With chapter headings like "Make Your Own Game" and "One of Us", Chris and Julien deftly explain how to leverage the web for business use, while remaining a trustworthy and interesting figure (a "trust agent"). If you're looking for ways to connect with influencers in your industry, this book is a must-read.

As a sidenote, I remember when I started on Twitter over a year ago that Chris Brogan was one of the first people I heard about from multiple sources. Even back then, people that I know and like were referring to Chris as genuine, likeable, "the real deal", etc. Clearly, this stuff works!

I am about to say something that will mean a lot to you if you know me very well. I will probably read this book again. Every word? Probably not, but it will serve as a great reference source going forward.

I like to think that I have a relatively sizable following already, but this book provides a great playbook on taking things to a whole different level. I appreciate the fact that the authors didn't speak only in broad generalities here - they give actionable tips and a path for anyone looking to effectively use social media for marketing.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone sincerely interested in building a solid online reputation. The ideas contained therein can help you, no matter what your business is. In fact, I might just need to get a few copies for the agents that work for me, as an early Christmas gift. :)

I found the Amazon link if you're interested in picking up a copy now:

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Help Musicians On Call to Bring the Healing Power of Music to More People (Spread the Word, too!)

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:07:14 -0500

A couple of months ago, we were pleased to meet Danny Brown on our online radio program, Social Media Edge. Danny is the founder of 12for12k, which has the exciting goal of raising $12,000 for 12 different charities throughout the year.

This month's charity focus is Musicians on Call, which seeks to bring both live and recorded music to hospital patients. They have the Bedside Performance Program, along with a "CD Pharmacy", which provides an extensive library of CD's along with players, free of charge. They even work with patients to help them write and produce their own music via the Project Playback program.

$10 brings one song to the bedside of a patient in a healthcare facility
$50 brings 5 songs to the bedsides of patients in a healthcare facility
$150 brings music to 15 patients through MOC's Bedside Performance Program
$250 buys 20 "Discmen" for a CD Pharmacy so patients can listen to music in their beds
$500 brings the Performance Program for three weeks to a healthcare facility
$1000 brings the Performance Program for six weeks to a healthcare facility
$2500 creates a CD Pharmacy in your name or in honour of someone
$5000 brings the Performance Program for six months to a healthcare facility
$10000 brings the Bedside Performance Program to a healthcare facility for one year

This video gives more details:

Below, you will see a ChipIn widget. If you're interested in donating to this worthy cause, just click the big green button to get started.

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Must-See Video! Amazing Collaborative Effort

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:03:39 -0500

I found this earlier today on Chris Brogan's blog. It's an amazing example of what can happen when people come together with a common goal in mind. The band, Sour, chose participants from among its actual fan base, and this was filmed across several continents. Makes me want to consider purchasing their music via iTunes or elsewhere.

Better yet, it makes me wonder what types of projects I could create myself. This one was done using webcams only, along with editing software, of course.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Real Estate Negotiating 101 - You Can't Manufacture Leverage

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:42:22 -0500

I had to spend a bit of time thinking about the subtitle of this post. I think this captures the essence of what I am about to cover here. These are by no means compreshensive lists, but I think they provide a good start. :)

Let me start by giving a few quick tips for listing agents:

If you have had a listing on the market for 6+ months, and you don't truly have an offer in your hand, don't try to convince me that you do.
Don't act shocked by my offer, or use phrases like "I had to use smelling salts on the seller" or "We were very surprised at the offer". Please just present it to your client and then get back to me.
If you list a home at a crazy-high price, be prepared to defend it and/or to explain to your client why EVERY offer you receive seems to be a lowball.
If you get an offer in the first week or so, push for the full asking price. You'll probably get it.

And now, for you buyer's agents:

If you are making an offer in the first week that a place is on the market, make it strong, unless the place is clearly overpriced.
If you have an option period (as we do in Texas), make sure you get the inspection done and all repairs negotiated during that time - you will lose a lot of leverage after that.
When your client has identified a house, and you are about to submit an offer, don't tell the listing agent that you have no other options. In fact, make sure your client has a second choice. It gives you more true leverage if the seller is unreasonable.
Make the assumption that the deal will work out during your initial offer letter/email. You can say, "I look forward to working with you on this transaction." or something similar.

No matter which side you are working for:

Try to remember that you are representing someone else and it's their money on the line. Try not to act too excited or tip your hand about a specific property. Rather than saying, "This is the one!", try something like "They have a strong level of interest, but we're still talking."
Never underestimate the power of simple friendliness and rapport - I will readily admit that, all things being equal, I would rather work with an agent who seems nice.

I hope this stuff comes in handy for you - some of it is common sense, and some of it comes from 13 years in the field.

Have a great week - thanks for reading!

Photo above courtesy of jk5854 via Flickr.com.

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

The JCKC Network is Growing!

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:09:14 -0500

I am happy to announce that we've added two new shows to our lineup at JCKC Radio. Along with Social Media Edge, we have some exciting and informative programs that should be a lot of fun, too! Ken Cook and I are handling the production duties (okay, mostly Ken).

On Mondays at noon Pacific time (3pm Eastern), Mike Mueller is now hosting "The M Files". Mike's first show this past week featured Andy Kaufman, who is the founder of RE Barcamp. To hear the 30-minute episode, visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jckc/2009/10/05/Mike-Muellers-Minutes--New. Mike's tech savvy combined with his energetic optimism made him a natural for hosting a show of his own.

Starting on October 19th, each Monday the founders of Twitterqueens will be hosting TQ Radio at 11am Eastern (10am Central, 8am Pacific). Join Lesley Lambert, Diane Guercio, and Maya Paveza are a lot of fun, and I'm guessing that they will have some awesome guests, just like Mike. Their format will be an hour long program, and you can set up a reminder right here.

Don't forget to check out Social Media Edge every Tuesday at noon Eastern at . We remain the top-rated show about social media on BlogTalkRadio. Jeremy Blanton, TS Elliott, and the aforementioned Mike Mueller have all helped make our show a resounding success. Big thanks to our consistent sponsor, Clint Miller of Real Estate Client Referrals.

Not that I want to name drop too much (okay, maybe a little bit), but over the past month or two, we have welcomed Tara Hunt, Paul Chaney, Jay Baer, Shel Israel, Sarah Evans, Danny Brown, Becky McCray, and other great guests. Next week, we will be speaking with Connie Reece, who started the Frozen Pea Fund for breast cancer, along with the Social Media Club of Austin. In November, we will be welcoming Chris Brogan, co-author of the New York Times Bestseller, "Trust Agents".

If you're interested in listening to any of our previous episodes, visit our Facebook page and click on the Archives tab: http://facebook.com/socialmediaedge.

The main JCKC page for listening to any of the above shows is http://blogtalkradio.com/jckc.

Thanks for reading and listening!

Photo above courtesy of terrycheah168 via Flickr.com.

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Health Care Reform Bill (HR 3200) - My Reading Continues.... Now I'm Mad and Even More Motivated to Finish

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:40:24 -0500

I resumed my reading of HR 3200 over the past day or two, having been bogged down with actual money-making behaviors (imagine that!). If you would like to see all of my previous posts on this topic, you can visit my site at:

http://IfCongressWontReadItIWill.com

The notes below are for pages 368-434, out of a total 1,017. The next post should take us to the midway point of the bill. :)

Interestingly, my eight-year old daughter announced yesterday that she intends to read the entire unabridged dictionary, which is a mere 2662 (very large) pages with very small font. Frankly, I believe her, since she is the fastest reader in our house, and we are not slouches around here, believe me. This was unrelated to my own project - just thought it was supremely cool.

Incidentally, the video below is from Thomas R. Carper, an actual member of the Senate Finance Committee, who said that he has no intention of reading the bill, nor does he think that others can even understand it. Sorry to burst your bubble, Senator Carper, but some of us are actually reading it, and it's not "incomprehensible" (your word). Either you need to produce legislation in "plain English" (again, a quote from you), or read the bill before you vote on it. Anything less is criminal, especially on a topic that has the potential to affect everyone in the United States. I may need to run for Congress after all, when I see guys like this making a mockery of the process:

______________________________

As I mentioned last time, from here on out, I will provide a glossary of terms that I am learning as I read:

TELEHEALTH: According to Wikipedia, this refers to the delivery of health-related services and information via telecommunications technologies. Telehealth delivery could be as simple as two health professionals discussing a case over the telephone, or as sophisticated as using videoconferencing between providers at facilities in two countries, or even as complex as robotic technology.

LEP - Limited English Proficient - This is a nice/official way of referring to someone who cannot speak English very well.

ESRD - End-stage renal disease - My mother-in-law passed away from this in May, so we are relatively well-versed about kidney disease and dialysis in our house.

________________________

SEC. 1222. DEMONSTRATION TO PROMOTE ACCESS FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY BY PROVIDING REIMBURSEMENT FOR CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES.

(a) In General- Not later than 6 months after the date of the completion of the study described in section 1221(a), the Secretary, acting through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shall carry out a demonstration program under which the Secretary shall award not fewer than 24 3-year grants to eligible Medicare service providers (as described in subsection (b)(1)) to improve effective communication between such providers and Medicare beneficiaries who are living in communities where racial and ethnic minorities, including populations that face language barriers, are underserved with respect to such services. In designing and carrying out the demonstration the Secretary shall take into consideration the results of the study conducted under section 1221(a) and adjust, as appropriate, the distribution of grants so as to better target Medicare beneficiaries who are in the greatest need of language services. The Secretary shall not authorize a grant larger than $500,000 over three years for any grantee.

MY NOTE: I realize that the paragraph above is a big portion of the bill to include, but this is proposing to allocate up to $12 million in grant money to Medicare service providers so that they can hire interpreters (referenced slightly earlier in the bill) for places where there are language barriers. I don't think I want to help fund this, frankly. Prepare yourself mentally, because this is going to sound uber-conservative of me to say, but if you are living in the United States, and you want to take advantage of this particular government benefit, shouldn't you be able to speak the language or bring along a friend or family member who does?

Sorry if that seems harsh, but I guess I have a hard time imagining other countries making provisions for English translators if I were living there and didn't speak the language. Just an opinion. I don't think that emergency medical care should be denied to anyone, but I have a tough time supporting this portion, since it deals with Medicare specifically.

Sec. 1222 (i) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $16,000,000 for each fiscal year of the demonstration program.

MY NOTE: This appears at the end of the same section. This appears to add $16 million more for translation-related services each year, along with the $12 million over three years allocated in part (a). Yikes!

SEC. 1232. EXTENDED MONTHS OF COVERAGE OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS FOR KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND OTHER RENAL DIALYSIS PROVISIONS.

MY NOTE: Generally speaking, this section seeks to extend coverage for patients with end stage renal disease, including immunosuppressive drugs, which help transplant patients (intended to keep their bodies from rejecting the new organs).

SEC. 1233. ADVANCE CARE PLANNING CONSULTATION.`(hhh)(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the term `advance care planning consultation' means a consultation between the individual and a practitioner described in paragraph (2) regarding advance care planning, if, subject to paragraph (3), the individual involved has not had such a consultation within the last 5 years.

MY NOTE: Based on what I have seen/heard on the news, this is where the "death panels" comment came from. Unfortunately, like so much other stuff bandied about by politicians and pundits alike, this innocuous section has turned into something scary by those who haven't taken the time to read the bill. Basically, this entire section requires physicians (or nurse practitioners) to explain to their patients about the continuum of end-of-life services available, along with the meaning of a living will, durable power of attorney, and more. It doesn't encourage anyone to take advantage of any of these things, nor does it put the decision making in anyone's hands other than the patient himself/herself.

`(B) An advance care planning consultation with respect to an individual may be conducted more frequently than provided under paragraph (1) if there is a significant change in the health condition of the individual, including diagnosis of a chronic, progressive, life-limiting disease, a life-threatening or terminal diagnosis or life-threatening injury, or upon admission to a skilled nursing facility, a long-term care facility (as defined by the Secretary), or a hospice program.

`(4) A consultation under this subsection may include the formulation of an order regarding life sustaining treatment or a similar order.

MY NOTE: Clearly, this is an emotional topic, but this doesn't appear to encourage anything that isn't already in place. When my mother-in-law was very ill a couple of years ago, these topics were addressed, as they should have been. The same goes for my father, who passed away back in 2005. When our loved ones are facing the end of their lives, it's a good idea to understand their directives and treatment options, right? An advance care planning consultation does not imply that someone else is making the call.

____________________________

TYPOS/MISTAKES

In Section 1233, under hhh (5)(b)(i), it states, "if a patient is pulse less" - this should read "pulseless". Better yet, it should say, "if a patient has no pulse". Just my opinion.

Capitalization error: In Section 1233, (b)(1) and (b)(3), the word "physician" should be in all caps to match the remainder of the heading.

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) - Georgetown, TX - Grand Opening THIS Sunday (October 11th, 2009)

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:59:10 -0500

Over the past 15 months or so, my family and I have been helping to start a new church in Georgetown, Texas. I am happy to announce that we are having our "official" grand opening for Christ Presbyterian Church this Sunday, October 11th.

We recently started meeting at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce building, which is essentially brand-new. It's located at 100 Stadium Drive, along Austin Avenue, just north of Williams Drive. It's right across from the Georgetown Rec Center.

We would love to have you join us sometime - we are a very friendly bunch! Currently, we have a regular attendance of just over 50 people (about 20 families).

If you are curious about what we believe, or you want to learn a bit more about us, check out our website at http://cpcgeorgetown.org.

Our Sunday morning services run from 10am until about 11:20 or so, and we have refreshments afterwards. There is childcare provided through age five, and we are starting a "children's church" portion that will cover kids up through fourth or fifth grade in November. The kids will leave the service during the sermon, then come back near the end. We have communion every week at the very end of the service.

Pastor Whit Anderson brings challenging, timely and biblical messages each week.

If you live in Georgetown, north Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Leander, Liberty Hill, or Jarrell, it's pretty easy to find us. I hope to meet you sometime soon!

You can also check out our Facebook page if you're interested.

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

"I Hate to Be the Bearer of Bad News, But...." - Delivering the Truth to Our Seller Clients

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:29:19 -0500

Over the course of my career, I have been the bearer of tough news for my listing clients many times. I don't ever relish the thought of sharing bad news with anyone, but I must admit that my skills in this area have improved dramatically with experience.

I have a few tips to share that might help you if you are faced with delivering undesirable news to your own clients.

1. Just say it. Sometimes, it's best to just spit it out, then deal with the explanation. If you're at a listing appointment, and you know that the home is worth substantially less than they were hoping for, you don't have anything to gain by beating around the bush. Get it out on the table. In fact, it might just save you some time if they are unwilling to listen to the facts, because you can make a quicker exit.

2. You might consider prefacing your statement with, "I fully realize that this is not what you were hoping to hear", or something similar. It may or may not soften the blow very much, but at least you tried, right?

3. If they question your valuation of their home, tell them that you are forced to look at things as an appraiser would. I have said things like this, "I think your home shows really well, and you have a ton of nice upgrades. I think we could actually find a buyer that will pay the price you want, but I really don't think it will appraise, then you have a new set of issues to deal with."

4. Another good quote (feel free to steal it from me): "You might get an agent to agree to list the home for that price, but it won't change the market value. Don't ever choose an agent based exclusively on the price."

I hope that this is helpful for you. I am known with my past clients as being direct and honest, without being blunt. There is a fine art to communicating effectively. Hopefully, these tips will give you a leg up on your competition.

Thanks for reading!

Image courtesy of B℮n on Flickr.com.

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Kyle, Texas Home for Sale - 159 Dandelion Loop - Only $124,900!

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:28:49 -0500

I listed a home today which I expect to sell very quickly. It's in terrific condition, well-decorated, and it has some awesome upgrades.

Here are a few of the key features:

Four bedrooms, 2 Full Bathrooms
1884 square feet per tax records
One Story
Large ceramic tile through family room, breakfast area, kitchen, hallway, and bathrooms
Laminate flooring in master bedroom
Stainless appliances (replaced earlier this year)
Refrigerator conveys, along with freestanding island in kitchen
Electric fireplace (furniture) also stays!

This home is priced to sell fast - if you are a first-time homebuyer, there is still time to claim the $8,000 tax credit with this purchase (ends November 30th).

If you have any questions at all or if you would like to set up a time to take a look at this home, feel free to give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 (cell) or email me at jason@austintexashomes.com. If you are interested in searching all Austin homes for sale, visit my website at www.austintexashomes.com.

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Austin Texas Real Estate Blog (and other stuff)

Are you supporting "Movember"? Check it out!

If you would like to donate, check out Ben's page right here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/214457

Should I Really Care About What You Think? Learning to be more transparent

"But what should I blog about? I don't have much to say."

Our First PG-13 Rated Show on Social Media Edge!

Must....Get...Help. Child....Too....Cute.

Are Happy Days Here Again? Time Will Tell

Using my ActiveRain Blog with Current and Potential Clients

Austin Takes the Top Spot for Increased Search Activity for Realtor.com!

Avery Ranch Home for Sale - 11016 Casitas Drive - $225,000

I have over 10,000 Twitter followers now - What does this really mean?

I am happy to hit this new plateau, but I also recognize that the key to success in any social medium is being consistent.

Why I Love Being a Dad (VIDEO proof)

Top Ten Social Media Edge Episodes (Both Live and Archived) - Just for You!

Top five shows for live listeners:

Top five shows for archive listens:

"Social Media Edge" Radio Archives - By Popular Demand!

Mike moved the archives over to our Facebook fan page: http://facebook.com/socialmediaedge.

Oct 20th - Special Guest Mike Chapman

Blackhawk Home for Sale - Pflugerville - 20921 Texas Meadows - Offered at $219,000

Virtual REBarCamp - Learn from the Comfort of Your Home or Office! It's FREE!

I Had a Big Week for ActiveRain Results!

"Adoption Rocks!" Austin Texas Charity Benefit Concert - Looks like fun! (Video included)

They set up a Facebook fan page right here: http://budurl.com/adoptfb

The video below makes a very compelling case. In my case, it brought swift tears as well. Although the details are on the Facebook page I mentioned above, here they are again:

"Trust Agents" - Chris Brogan & Julien Smith - Quick Book Review

And now, he has a book, too.

Help Musicians On Call to Bring the Healing Power of Music to More People (Spread the Word, too!)

Must-See Video! Amazing Collaborative Effort

Real Estate Negotiating 101 - You Can't Manufacture Leverage

Let me start by giving a few quick tips for listing agents:

And now, for you buyer's agents:

No matter which side you are working for:

The JCKC Network is Growing!

Health Care Reform Bill (HR 3200) - My Reading Continues.... Now I'm Mad and Even More Motivated to Finish

http://IfCongressWontReadItIWill.com

Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) - Georgetown, TX - Grand Opening THIS Sunday (October 11th, 2009)

We would love to have you join us sometime - we are a very friendly bunch! Currently, we have a regular attendance of just over 50 people (about 20 families).

"I Hate to Be the Bearer of Bad News, But...." - Delivering the Truth to Our Seller Clients

I have a few tips to share that might help you if you are faced with delivering undesirable news to your own clients.

Kyle, Texas Home for Sale - 159 Dandelion Loop - Only $124,900!

The video below makes a very compelling case. In my case, it brought swift tears as well.

Although the details are on the Facebook page I mentioned above, here they are again: