Is Anybody Else Getting These Scamming Link Exchange Requests? - 05/27/10 09:06 PM
I have recently started receiving a series of link exchange requests. The start out looking ok but when I read further they appear to be nothing more than an attempt to get some business that has nothing to do with real estate better SEO.
Most recently I received one from someone calling him/herself Liberty Tanner claiming to be the link data base manager for thearizonainsurance.com. Of course this person wants me to link to a totally unassociated site:
URL: http://www.personalpaydayloan.comAnchor: Cash Advance LoanDescription: The online leader for cheap payday loans.
I can find neither this Tanner Liberty person nor either of … (21 comments)

The Lottery - A Must See Film. No It is Not About Powerball. - 05/23/10 09:32 AM
I watched an interview last night with Madeline Sackler, director of the documentary film coming out next month, The Lottery. It is not about winning money but winning a future. It is about the battle between charter and other government schools.
This film follows 4 black families, 4 of hundreds, that have signed up to enroll their children into Harlem Success Charter School. However, there are only limited slots available and the vast majority who enter "the lottery" will not get their children enrolled.
It also follows the attempts by various groups to limit, and even eliminate, charter schools. It was … (19 comments)

Home Mortgage Tax Deduction on the Cutting Block Again? Reversing Federal Housing Policy! - 05/19/10 09:27 AM
I read an article the other day that indicates that the home mortgage interest deduction is potentially in play and on the cutting block again. It appears that during a recent interview HUD Secretary Donavan was asked about the mortgage interest deduction and replied that modifying the deduction would result in increased revenue, deficit reduction and a "rebalance of federal housing policy".
Just what is meant by rebalancing the federal housing policy? Basically, it means a reversal of federal policies and programs encouraging home ownership that have been in place since 1931. In effect, making more people renters than home owners.
… (12 comments)

What's Wrong With This Statement? - 05/17/10 07:21 PM
I recently read an article about the potential for the mortgage deduction to disappear. I will be writing a post about that later. The article concludes with this sentence:
According to the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, between 2009 and 2013, the federal government will lose roughly $600 billion from the home mortgage interest deduction.
Can anybody see what is wrong with this sentence. And I don't mean composition-wise either.
According to the author, the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation believes that the money belongs to them, and if, for some reason, they do not collect it, the government is … (43 comments)

One Awe Sh*t Wipes Out 1000 Attaboys (or Girls) - 05/16/10 06:15 PM
In August of 1982 I took my first management job, in San Francisco, running a computer maintenance group that handled the banks and other financial institutions. One of the first things my new boss told me, which I remember clearly to this day is to not forget Chuck's (that was my bosses name) First Rule of Management: One Awe Sh*t Will Wipe Out 1000 Attaboys.
It took me awhile to truly understand this but, after managing the group and the clients for several months it was firmly drilled into my brain. No matter how good the service we gave on … (59 comments)

Hallelujah! My Outside Blogs Are Back! - 05/12/10 11:10 AM
Finally, the Bad Gateway errors are gone. I can click on my outside blogs and get to them. I can even log into them now. And thankfully, my recent posts to Localism are also on my outside blogs.
It has been awhile and I have many pent up postings to place on my outside blog. I hope I can get them in soon, providing my Real Estate job does not get in the way.
Thanks, Active Rain, for finally getting all my functionality back.
… (14 comments)

Home Sales Flat for 3 Months - Athens Clarke County, GA Residential Real Estate Market Report & Stats for March 2010 - 05/10/10 10:32 AM


March 2010 residential real estate sales volume in Athens - Clarke County, GA showed flat sales for the third consecutive month. However, this is almost 10% higher volume than the lows of last September.  This appears to be a positive indicater that the Athens-Clarke County residential real estate market is stabilizing.  While the volume remained steady, the average Days on Market (D.O.M.) dropped by 3 days, another slightly positive indicator.
Both the average and median sales price of homes remainded flat from February, with the average price down just over 8% from a year ago and the median price fairing better, down just under 4% during the same period. .This is … (5 comments)

STAMP OUT HUNGER Food Drive Tomorrow - Don't Forget to Put a Bag Out by Your Mailbox - 05/07/10 09:58 AM
The annual Help Stamp Out Hunger is tomorrow, Saturday, May 8. The National Association of Letter Carriers on the second Saturday in May annually participates in the largest food drive in the U.S. and possibly the world. In over 10,000 cities postal workers will be collecting bags of food to distribute to various agencies and shelters.
So please do two things:
1) Place a bag, or 2, or a dozen, of non-perishable foods at your mailbox, or other designated pick up location (you can get the information from your local post office)
2) Spread the word, email your friends, clients, family … (11 comments)

Proposed Internet Privacy Legislation to Have Potential Negative Effects on Real Estate Agents - 05/07/10 09:37 AM
A "Discussion Draft" of proposed new internet privacy regulations has been published for review and comment. Like most federal regulation, it probably stems from good intentions, but we all know which road good intentions pave.
On the surface it looks like a good thing, regulating how "entities" my gather, disseminate and use "private" information on the internet. However, when you read deeper, there are some things to be concerned with.
Private information has now been expanded to include physical address, ip addresses, phone numbers, etc. Entities are defined as:
(A) means a person engaged in interstate commerce that collects data containing … (7 comments)

Get Ready for Your Internet Service Price to SkyRocket - FCC Moving on "Net Neutrality" - 05/06/10 04:26 PM
How much are you paying now for your internet access? How much are you willing to pay? Well, get ready to pay more. The FCC has announced that it will start pursuing "net neutrality", a euphemism for internet egalitarianism.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has issued a decision that states that the FCC will now start regulating broadband internet traffic under the same rules designed for traditional telephone networks. Under these rules he is ready to institute "Net Neutrality", which, on the surface, sounds good but when you dig deep down into it, has ominous consequences, the least of which will be … (13 comments)

Oglethorpe County, Ga Residential Real Estate Market Report and Stats for Mar. 2010 - 05/06/10 02:02 PM
 

Oglethorpe County, Ga 12 month sliding average of residential sales has shown a volume drop of 5 units after being flat or increasing slightly for 6 months. Sales volume is the lowest since June of 2009. Whether or not this month is an anomoly and the volume will pick back up and stabilize again is yet to be seen. However, the higher pending sales numbers than recent reports is positive. 
Both the average and median sales price, while still down from a year ago, are continuing a 3 month trend higher. At the same time, however, average D.O.M., days on market, is at a … (1 comments)

When Will Outside Blogs Be Available? - 05/05/10 05:32 PM
Ok, we have Active Rain posting and comments working again, and it appears that Localism in now working.
However, I cannot access my outside blogs. Nor can I post to them.
I have looked for updates, including checking Bob Stewart's and Brad Andersohn's blogs but have not seen anything since Monday.
So, any clues as to when this will happen?
… (12 comments)

 

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