Rockland County NY Condos & Townhomes

Rockland County NY - Fall

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:53:49 -0700

Meet Sigmund and Sue (swans), they're thrilled with the fall, and excited that all the human tourists will give them back their lake for a few months. Their only issues will be with the ducks, and the brawny birds, who can take the frigid temperatures of a New York Winter. Cheers to you S&S! If Spring came after fall, I could really appreciate the glory of this season, instead, I focus on the thought of Winter, and really should take in the beauty nature gives us. Never in my life have I planted a mum, just too depressing. I attribute my euphoria of sprintime as the result of cold winters, and guess the reason I get so excited is all the wintertime planning and dreaming of greener pastures.

Today was really a beautiful fall day, sunny and in the sixties, you can really enjoy falls' crispness, the gentle breezes and rustle of leaves, we will soon be picking up, and saving for mulch next year. The color in New York is breath taking, Halloween and the Thanksgiving season look better here than anywhere else on earth. I need to stop dwelling on the inevitable doom of Winter.

We are now in get ready mode (in competition with the squirrels) getting our homes prepared for the cold, making sure the windows and doors are draft-less. Fearing the high fuel prices, we fine tune the boilers for optimum performance, and those of us with fire places buy the wood for cozier gatherings.

In Piermont the optimists at the old sidewalk cafe still have the outside dining set up, but the patrons don't feel like roughing it, they walk past the maitre d to sit inside. Most of the barbeques are over, the die hard grillers will shovel thru the snow to get their grub charred before they make a path to the front door, but for most of us we'll wait for next year.

Alot of folks have the pits they put in the yard, for me-too much like camping.

Time to start making soups, stews, the good comfort foods, and taking out the blankets and slippers.

Look at the spectacular fall views on Piermont Avenue, in a couple of weeks the homes will be naked.

The boats are all being pulled in from the Hudson, and play time is over. Nyack boatmen are busy taking in the members toys. A grave yard of boat, the sailboats are mummified, wrapped in gauze and tombed till next Spring.

Another season in our life over, in New York the chapters are clearly defined.

Beautiful tree (Manse), prematurely ripened before the others in Tappan New York.

Rockland County Condo Orangetown Statistics 2008 3rd Qtr

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:30:53 -0700

In actuality the numbers have not changed that much. It is difficult when there are high end condos in the same neighborhood as a mediocre condo; for example if two Piermont condo's sold on the landing for over a million, that would really change the overall average, but the ratio in Lawrence Park really didn't change the listing or selling price too much. If you need more accurate numbers, please call me.

Rockland County Short Sales - Avoiding Foreclosures www.RocklandShortSales.com

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:21:26 -0800

Rockland Short Sales

All the excitement that the media stirs, can confuse even the simplest of situations. We are however, in strange times for Real Estate. Lenders let the public over extend themselves, and a good amount of the borrowers "took the bait".

Rose colored glasses drew a beautiful picture of family life in the glorious suburbs of Rockland County, along with the rest of New York State and the country.

Now it is time to pay the piper, and unfortunately a good portion of the folks who thought equity in the homes they purchased would increase, are now devastated by the drop in the Real Estate market, and the increase in the Adjustable Rate Mortgages they took back in the early gay 2000's, and some even imbibed in the tempting "Interest Only Loans" are now in Real Estate Reality.

There is a way out, not a promise of riches, however you can escape Foreclosure, and keep your credit in a better standing than if you wait for foreclosure.

Do not believe the promises of the "Loss Mitigation Companies", there is always a new scheme for every vulnerable situation. These companies do NOT have an "in" with the lenders.

Alot of them are investors and are not at all concerned with your credit, they want your house for a song.

The reason lenders prefer to work with REALTORSis: We are licensed with the State of NY. We subscribe to a Code of Ethics. We have Errors and Omission Insurance. We have a Fiduciary Responsibilty to our Clients to Uphold.

Call me for a confidential meeting, so I can explain the process, and to help you get your life back in order.

Joanne Brown

Associate Broker, SRES, ASP

845 596-3975

www.rocklandshortsales.com

I am not getting enough leads on this site for all I've put into it.

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:03:41 -0800

I am looking into getting another site, I'm currently using z57 and not happy at all with them. I have intentions of running the sites simultaneously for awhile, and am wondering how long to see results in another site, where I can drop this one. Or if you think this site needs minimal help, maybe I should keep two.

www.jojobrown.com

thanks very much,

Joanne

Rockland Countys Clarkstown - Sold Homes - January 2008

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:57:30 -0800

33 Single Family Residences sold in Clarkstown in Jan 2008. The median price was 530,000 and the average price was 676,982.

Homes sold in Congers, Nanuet, New City, Upper Nyack, Valley Cottage and West Nyack. There weren't any sales in Central Nyack (SF homes) for January.

There were 3 cash sales, and 9 of the homes took longer than 120 days on the market.

In 2006 7 more homes sold, but the sales average and median were very close, with 2006 just a tad lower.

Rockland Countys Orangetown Sold Homes in January 2008

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:59:55 -0800

Only sixteen Single Family Residence Sales in January (there are plenty in contract, wait for next months sales)

The median sales price was 517,500, and the average price was 504,969.

There were sales in Nyack, Orangeburg, Palisades, Pearl River, Piermont, South Nyack and Tappan. No SF homes sold in Blauvelt,

Grandview, Sparkill or Upper Grandview in January.

In January 2007 there was 17 sales, the numbers are quite different. 480,000 was the median price and 607,618 the average.

Big drop 2008 stay tuned!

Four Rose Court, New City, NY 10956

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:28:04 -0800

From the moment you make the turn from Durant, you feel like you hit base and you're safe. Maybe, that isbecause Clarkstown was voted 2^nd safest city in the country based on the FBI's Sept 24 crime statistics report -CBS.TV. This sensational setting only 2 homes on the private cul-de-sac is a stunning example of the best of both worlds. The city is responsible for the maintenance and you get all the benefits.

Your kids can host basketball, stickball, hopscotch games,or

you could invite the garden club to your glorious haven in the

backyard, and there is a parking spot for all. Pachysandra

is the classy ground cover simplifying maintenance.

The brand new driveway (summer 07) leading to the plateau where the home sits on more than a 1/3 of an acre, is a bracketed

brick wall that holds all of the lovely and diverse garden inside. The paths

are lined with pavers, and are magical little tours throughout the property.

Flanked with a variety of easy to care for plantings. Very little to

mow, just a green paradise with hostas and shots of color during three seasons ..

When the day is done, and you

feel the need to escape, or are just

wanting the need for a reclusive bit of time alone, walk up to your

custom deck and set a spell.

Step into the sliders on the right. (Having the 2 sets, truly adds to the integration of the spaces!)Here we find a custom kitchen, with many added features you will not find in most high ranches. The lighting, unique tiles on the walls above the soffits,the built in refridgerator and special touches to the cabinetry.The corian counters are elegant and immaculate.

A family of five sits comfortably for breakfast in the eat in kitchen...

Feeling formal, move to the dining room, where

a nice size crowd could gather.

Here we have built in shelving and cabinetry, hidden well and

disguised to look like part of the walls.

The living room flows well into the kitchen and dining room, making this home perfect for entertaining.

There are hardwood floors under the carpet, and ceramic on the

landing entry floor, inside the double front doors.

Three bedrooms are on the first floor

The first Master Suite

Two full baths on this floor..

Let's go downstairs....

r second master suite with another full bath.

more built ins

fully wired cabinets (no mess)

Family room/Den Fireplace, The

Downstairs of this home is a real bonus, with a unique

Family room and extremely flexible floor plan.

A pre-inspection of this home was already done...

And there will be no surprises.

The sensational setting makes every season a delight,

while Main Street, New City, NY is a quick walk to

NYCbus (approx 50 min to the city) and town.

for more pics, or you would like to visit:

Call me 845/596-3975

Joanne Brown

http://www.jojobrown.com/

Keller Williams Associate Broker, SRES, Accredited Staging Professional

Little Pink Houses - Brad Pitt

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:56:35 -0800

Brad Pitt has put up 5 Million of his own money to rebuild the area where the levee's broke in New Orleans in 2005. He said he chose pink because it screams the loudest; maybe because I'm old, it says John Cougar Mellencamp to me.

In any event, it is one helluva a plan, and he has setup a website where one can donate as much or little as they can. Here is the address;

www.makeitrightnola.org

Kinda funny, he thinks the average Joe can donate solar panels for these homes. I too am a overly optimistic person, so I wish Brad and all of the people who have been deserted by the government the best of luck and I hope the money starts pouring in.

ROCKLAND COUNTY ORANGETOWN NOVEMBER 2007 SF RESIDENCES SOLD

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:55:00 -0800

Sales for the month of November 2007 in Orangetown, Rockland County, NY were a total of 19 Single Family Residences, with a median price of 440,000 and an average of 538,074. Homes sold in November in Blauvelt, South Nyack, Tappan, West Nyack, Pearl River, Nanuet and Orangeburg; there weren't any sales in Piermont or Palisades in November.

2006 in Orangetown for November were 24. The median price sold was 448,700 and the average significantly lower than the 2007 number at 500,121.

Clarkstown NY November 07 Sales Single Family Residences

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:25:47 -0800

THE NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED FOR THIS MONTH (31) IN CLARKSTOWN, COMPARED TO 47 HOMES SOLD IN NOVEMBER OF 2006.

THESE HOMES SOLD IN CONGERS, NANUET, NEW CITY, VALLEY COTTAGE, NYACK, WEST NYACK, THERE WEREN'T ANY SALES IN BARDONIA FOR THIS MONTH.

HOWEVER THE MEDIAN PRICE IN 2006 WAS 510,OOO AND AN AVERAGE SALE OF 514,626

IN NOVEMBER 2007 THE MEDIAN PRICE FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE WAS 480,000 AND AN AVERAGE OF 632,410

New City is so, so, close to the Old City.

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:39:36 -0800

You do NOT need a drivers license to live here
Your kids can walk to town to meet their friends, to the library after school
You can be in New York City by bus in less than an hour, get the bus a block from this house

For Virtual Tour (click here)

Clarkstown New York-Voted 2nd Safest Place to Live in the Country.

The Schools are Excellent.

Pay Pal on Active Rain

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:30:23 -0800

I posted a blog yesterday The Rental Market that went unnoticed, well two people responded, and I thank you both, but I still don't have answers.

Would a blogger like Broker Bryant ( I know you're a sellers agent) who gets a lot of attention in this inclement weather, possibly post this blog for me, and I could pay him with my points.

Is there some kind of exchange system behind the scenes? One where we use play money (points)?

I'm serious, would a blogger who gets a lot of feedback, please use this blog. I would really like the answers but am also interested to see how many comments you receive asking the same question.

Thank you

The Rental Market

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 05:28:14 -0800

Is anyone out there successful in their farming to renters? What company do you use to farm to them? I have used Quantum Mail, and although their website is not user friendly, I've found it very cost effective, the quality is good, and they deliver when expected. They also do very nice flyers, BUT they do NOT have a program geared to renters. It is very time consuming to design your own postcard, and the frustration has put me off keeping up with it. I did it only once.

I have looked around for the past several days to find something that I could use to attract more buyers, who do you use? This is such a big market, all of my material (scripts, letters) is geared to expired , for sale by owners, and listings, and in the postcard market it seems the same.

I know most of you love the sellers, but I can't last with out the buyers. I keep pouring in money and time to the sellers without a return and I also feel guilty their homes are still on the market. I hope when I call them to announce a potential buyer will be visiting that they don't pick up the phone. I really hate reiterating the same old thing.

Is there a system out there geared to renters that I could set up for a monthly mailing to them without having to write the backside of the postcard myself? I found one company, and I'm not really sold on their material, but they want me to enlist for a year minimum.

I have purchased Top Producer, and I'm not using that yet either but I can write letters to renters to alternate with a postcard system.

This blog is not for blogging points, if you know of another blog that suggests the topic, tell me please.

Please share your success.

Thank you,

What I've learned is, I'd better keep reading.

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 04:07:57 -0800

If you're new to active rain, maybe I should say blogging (I'm a blog and AR virgin myself), here are a few pointers that may demystify some of your perceptions and organize you a little.

Active Rain is a wonderful site for information, not only about blogging, but to learn a lot about the Real Estate Profession, and the many facets associated with it. Here you will find topics, and discussions that are not found in books about Real Estate, or Educational (CE) classes. This is a forum for agents to share their true life experiences (some hypothetical) and opinions with how the law is applied, used, and broken. Tips on presentations, working with buyers/sellers, difficult agents, financers, staging, your mother-in -law...and so on.

You should read, read, (read the whole thing (Tip for more effective blogs!) and read some more. Find blogs you find informative, funny or just well written and if there are a couple of them that are from the same author, add that author to your "associate list" there is a little button provided. This is not an invasion of privacy at all to add a stranger to your associate list, in fact it is more of a compliment to them that says you enjoy their postings.

I felt like I was stalking or intruding on one's privacy. You can then assure you will find their other blogs, if you've not been to AR for a few days or if there is a heavy downpour of blogs. In the beginning (ELP), some posts went to heaven or before I got to reread them.

The real diligent bloggers are on the first page, http://activerain.com/bloghome so they're easy to find, if you're looking for something state specific, like a change we should all know about goto: http://activerain.com/topbloggers and choose your state to the left, and you can break it down to more details by county, city and we'll probably see neighborhoods. AR is continually changing and simplifying this site, there now are Beta Groups http://activerain.com/groups to retrieve (or share) your info swiftly. Another feature is, direct email to an Active Rain member without posting to the world, a comment you prefer to keep hush, hush or just feel it is inappropriate for the topic.

Personally, I found something here I should have known, but didn't and it was a good thing I came across: NEW NY State Law -Agency Realtionships

OK, now for the blogging thing.

You get 25 points for commenting on another's blog; 200 for writing your own blog and then there are bonus points. There are points for inviting others to join the network and receive 10% of their points. What these points really do, I still am unaware. I hope they turn into money, but for right now, I'm too anxious not to get points, so I keep reading and blogging for fear I will not have enough points. A good loser is a REAL loser!

I spoke to my website people today about blogging and adding blogs, but the marketing "guru" was really clueless and finally told me that he would be able to add a blog (first he didn't know what it was) but he wasn't sure how it related to marketing me or my website.

Life is tough. . .

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 07:20:46 -0800

While we all send around good cheer to our friends and families, most of us do take the time to think of the

less fortunate, well I think we become more thoughtful in later years at least.

I can remember sitting in the cafeteria in grammar school and the nuns yelling at us to eat our lunch and have some gratitude do you know how lucky you are? There are people with no food! I don't think any of us even believed them...the joke was "send em this" Obviously we were fortunate kids.

Our office adopted a family for Christmas this year, a single mother-no clothing size was given, with three children, we have the sizes and weights for the children for clothing, but we really would like to get something in addition to the necessities.

There is a nine year old boy.

A sixteen year old girl (with cancer)

A eighteen year old girl.

What do you think would be a gift for any child. Do you think we should chip in an send them on a vacation? Disneyland?

If you List you're gonna be Poor.

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 06:12:53 -0800

Buyers or Sellers?

We all advertise that we work for buyers or sellers but I was actually wondering if agents had a real preference.

When I started in Real Estate in 2003 it was a definite "seller's market" and all I heard was Listing is where it's at, If you list you last-you know the lines.

Maybe two months in the business I got lucky, I sent out farming cards and got a call from a potential seller.

Unfortunately when I got the call, I was so excited I didn't ask anything about the house, but I did go right away to the address and took a photo. The outside was well maintained, clean, painted, picture perfect.

I prepared a great CMA, it was all dressed up in an elegant binder, I dressed to the nines parading my shiny new name tag, I had my professional portfolio with every tool the books tell you to have, my car was clean, and for the last day and a half I was practicing what I was going to say. Well the presentation lasted about 15 minutes, I couldn't get out of there fast enough, I figured the more time I spent there that they might realize they knew more than I did. They still haven't listed their home, but I have kept in touch, from afar though, only by the US mail, and they are very nice people, so it wasn't disastrous and chalked it up to learning. Presentations have become easier for me as my knowledge in Real Estate is valid now, but still lose out to agents that do not market the listing as well as I would have (their homes aren't selling either).

I have always been able to talk to people, they confide in me (I can't believe some of the stories, things I would never tell anyone, but their secrets are safe), trust me, I can walk into a room full of strangers and break the ice. The thing is, it comes natural and is not rehearsed. I don't know at this point if it is because I'm too honest, (my competition is taking the listings at a higher price), or they can smell the confidence level.

I've been at this a couple of years, and have two listings (neither of which has sold yet),

one is a town home Upgrade your lifestyle in Nyack, New York ,

the other is a Charming Tudor South Nyack English Tudor (for those of you who hate dead on shots I apologize, we live in an area where some of the adjacent homes are a few feet from the featured home and don't want them in our photo's).

Both of these homes are priced correctly and show beautifully. I have and continue to do all I can to present the homes in a great light, using local advertising, the Real Estate Book, Realtor.com, flyers, visual tours, craigslist - I don't know what else to do. I feel on some level that my sellers think I'm an inadequate agent, because their home hasn't sold, even though very, very little has sold. This seems to be a sure fire way to go broke!

I have on the other hand felt like a champion with buyers, they are appreciative, excited, don't cost as much, and I like the hunt for the home.

I think although I haven't experienced a sale to fruition for a seller, there is much more gratification working with buyers...in any market.

Upgrade your lifestyle in Nyack, New York

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 05:16:17 -0800

... and move right in to this young, spacious, 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath Forest Ridge townhouse in Nyack. The two story sunken living room w fireplace is wired for home theater. Massive country kitchen w breakfast nook. Other features include hardwood floors, custom painted walls and window treatments. An above ground finished walk out basement with a family room and office w sliders to the fenced backyard. Too much to list all, come visit soon!

Website

http://jojobrown.com/Nyack,_NY_Homes_for_Sale_-_Real_Estate_Agent_for_the_Rivertowns_listings/BB777906-C674-F99A-76FC19C0EFBED730.shtml

MLS-Details

http://org.mlxchange.com/Pub/EmailView.asp?r=433945574&s=ORG&t=ORG

Vitual Tour

http://www.visualtour.com/shownp.asp?SK=13&T=790537

The Real Estate Team-Choose Wisely

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 07:23:56 -0800

I just read a blog that Andrew Cox a Florida home inspector wrote : Is your Home Inspector the Bad Guy?

As an agent I have had to learn from the burn on more than one occasion (actually it is happening all the time, less frequently now), and it's been no different with inspections. Andrew gives very good advice but I have a few things to add. One thing I've noticed, and there are some things out of my control, especially when you do not know the buyers agent or who they will advise their client to choose is-A new inspector, just like agent, mortgage broker, stager, or attorney they talk too much. We want to share our knowledge and should know the type of client for whom we are working. One key thing Andrew says is to "interview them"

Stick to the facts.

A first time home buyer does not need to hear all of the codes that have changed since the home was built, (especially in an area when 80% of the homes are 50+yrs old) a sentence might do it, if the wiring is old, tell them-do they need to know all about the new GFI requirements?

If a home has septic, before they actually see the tank must they go through their opinion of all the pitfalls of the septic when the possible homeowner never asks?

Same thing with Lead Paint.

I think this applies to all areas of the Team and the person (s) who will feel the heat are the RE Brokers, and company owners because people talk, and just like I who refuse to list certain inspectors, or Real Estate attorneys (who don't return calls) there are people who will not recommend certain Real Estate Brokerages, not because they are all bad apples...but because a few ruin the whole bunch.

Owners should be aware of what their protégés are discussing

Extended Family - Do you give it away?

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 12:40:30 -0800

Actually quite a bit removed, and definitely not blood.

I have been sending MLS emails to this girl regularly (about six months). Her sister is an agent about 200 miles away as does not have access to our MLS.

I just received an email from the girl who says her sister is coming on Saturday and they would like to see things around the 300k range. This is the writing on the wall.

This family (there are 9 kids) are cheap, they are cheap about everything, even themselves. They do not splurge on cars, clothes, restaurants, or vacations. They are always looking for a deal. They also could afford to do these things, they just don't.

The funny thing is that some of them are in businesses that you would think they know how hard it is to make a buck. They hustle, they waitress, bartend and sell real estate.

In the couple of years I have been in this business, (I have only lived here four, so I don't know too many people either) I have never even received a referral from them (they grew up here).

I could do the nice (or stupid) thing and let her know everything that is available in the price range, and hope for a referral, or I could tell them how I really feel. I'm not shy but letting them know my feelings would also start a bunch of poo poo.

Do you just give it away?.

Negotiating

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 20:09:33 -0800

My blogs are always asking for opinions on how to handle such and such. I read gazillions of blogs and have received tons of help for all arenas, also AR's Forum has been very informative. I really wish this was around when I was a brand new agent.

I would however, like to see a negotiating forum, is that too pushy of me?

Are agents secretive about different strategies they've used, and the type of deals they think their tactics would benefit. Is there something published with various scenarios, getting the contract signed?

What is the best book you've read On Real Estate Negotiating?

Too much Honesty?

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 21:22:02 -0800

I've always considered my honest, even to a fault but a situation came up with an agent in my office and I am not sure if I would have been as honest as she was, or if I were to do the "right thing" for my sellers interest would have been compromised.

Hypothetical:

I've been working with a buyer for some time, you know the type, first time homebuyer, has just enough money for the lower end of the market, looking to get as much money off of a listing as he can. Has made a couple of offers in the past, but none of them took, one did go as far as an inspection but the deal fell thru.

I take a listing, he wants it, I work as a dual agent and keep everything above board, contracts go out, but another house is listed in the same neighborhood and in his budget.

Do you tell him?

I never thought about this myself, and am actually glad I've not been in this situation, because what I would have done was try and get the first deal in contract and I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do or not.

PS Even if my seller wasn't involved, I'm not so sure I would have brought up the new listing being so close to contract.

Beginner's Luck?

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 12:36:15 -0800

One of my first sales was to a nice young couple buying their first home in this country. They were so lovely, I showed them four or five townhouses and they bought one.

Before they even closed they gave me a referral. The referral is another very nice couple but the situation is so different.

I have been showing them houses for a year and a half. The search is now extremely narrowed down, but they find fault in everything. One house they found weeds under the deck , another house the # was 13 (well it wouldn't be easy to change that one), another dogs must have lived there one, and so on. I have shown them la crème-de la crème in their price range. Took them up a notch (another 50k) to show them the difference. I have introduced them to carpet people, appliance people, handymen because they're not handy and want to buy a home in good condition. I've gone over the numbers with them to show them how they're getting good value and what it would cost to make the home perfect. They don't take up that much of my time anymore because there aren't that many homes that will suit them. Here's the clincher:

They gave me a referral last week! I met with the couple, very nice again, just afraid of the birds of a feather thing. I was prepared, I had my lists went through the whole buying process with them. Focused on what they would like in a home, type of street, area, schools, yard size, landscaping, CONDITION, you name it. I came up with about six homes that fit their wants and budgets. What timeframe-is when they find the right house. (oh)

A little while ago, I opened my email to find about 15 MLS numbers of homes they would like to start SLOWLY checking into. Do you believe that SLOWLY!

I am very upset about this and looking forward to finding this funny someday. I am not answering them yet because they know it's an American holiday and will understand I won't be working today. On one hand, I would like to just refer them out, but hesitate fearing, I think that would upset the clients I have been working with for a year and a half.

All of them think I'm a great agent, I thought great agents sold homes. Another thing is these people have money and can buy, I have the bank paperwork, I'm just not certain they WILL buy, and business is really bad so I need the work.

Any advice?

Happy Thanksgiving,

Closing Gifts

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 02:33:41 -0800

I really have a hard time with this one. I have always enjoyed shopping and finding the perfect gifts for people. It helps tremendously to know them well, and even when I spend a good deal of time with some of my buyers you can not get a feel, they may comment on a particular piece when we're house shopping but I still don't feel confident picking something out for them.

People normally enjoy money, but it is so cold and they don't remember it. I have gifts from grammar school and I can tell you who gave them to me. I never remember money gifts, or gift certificates as practical as they are.

I am not lazy and would spend the time, and spend too much time already only to wind up giving the gift well after the closing and it's still the dreaded 'gift certificate" for lack of a better idea.

I've been to those real estate closing gift sites, and I am not going to bother giving you a link because I find the gifts tacky.

What kink of gifts do you give?

Technology Issues

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:52:22 -0800

Normally when I don't know something I ask questions right away. It get's worse when you don't, you get more embarassed you don't know as time goes by and then you never ask. You work so hard around things so no one will know you don't know. So before I am a seasoned member I better get this over with.

How do people add associates? I see the button on their sites, but mine doesn't have one. I've looked in many forums for this, as well as checked my settings.

I am a New Yorker, and since we are prone to having "bad reps" for rudeness, I hesitate trying it out on someone else's site, for fear I will do it backwards. I've asked permission to add an associate to my list, and received a warm yes, but I'm not sure if I go to his page it'll put my face up there on his profile page. Initially when an associate added themselves to my profile page I felt like they came and hung out in my backyard when I wasn't home, my friends sometimes did that, and that wasn't wierd, but once I found a guy sleeping in my car that I didn't know. That freaked me out. It could be a New York thing too.

One more question...Does everyone vote on all the blogs they see?

So if you would help me with the associate adding dilemna as well as point me where to go (don't be facetious) when I face these technical challenges it would be greatly appreciated.

I Need a Blurb

Joanne Brown (Rockland County Real Estate) — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:25:15 -0800

My experience

Active in Real Estate for over 50 years, never once lived in the street.

Helped many a folk realize their dreams (I also dabble in astrology)

Traveled extensively across the US on a very limited budget. My thumb mostly.

Never passed the bar exam, having such a great time drinking don't remember the test, I figured the Real Estate Test might be a little easier.

I'm just kidding around with these, but does anyone see agents using humor in there short profile?

Alot of them seem canned.