Sweet Surprise! - 10/31/06 07:25 PM
Yesterday was an office day for me. Typically I'm not at my desk all day, but yesterday was an exception. I am in the final stages of completing a nice commercial deal, as a result the principles in the transaction were needing a conference call. Getting six people together in six difference … (19 comments)
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Blackmail...has it's place. - 10/31/06 01:32 AM
Blackmail is a nasty little game some people play on each other. Blackmail though it exists is not a nice game to play, further more, it is not really what this post is about.
Art is the theme of my post. Blackmail is just art, at least in Denver.
Yesterday I was doing … (35 comments)
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Denver real estate is bouncing back... - 10/31/06 12:49 AM
As previously reported here and now confirmed by the Wall Street Journal, Denver's real estate market is in line for an up swing.
Driven by the strengthening energy, financial and professional-service sectors, employment is rising.
Area improvements, FasTracks is putting Denver on the public transportation map. The historic Denver Union Station is being … (11 comments)
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Getting ready to sell your home? Use the “ounce of prevention” technique… - 10/26/06 12:04 PM
Real Estate contracts are most likely to fail over inspection issues. There is a way to prevent this occurrence, it will cost you a few dollars up front, but in the long run, save you time, money and could be the difference between a deal or no deal!
Get your home pre-inspected … (16 comments)
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Scrape or Pop the top ~ Denver real estate - 10/26/06 10:50 AM
City dwellers love their neighborhoods and are willing to pay the expense to tailor their old homes to fit their current needs. If a homeowner has a home with a large enough "footprint" in a good neighborhood, then popping the top might be the solution.
Expenses of such renovation are seldom accurately … (8 comments)
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The Straw that... - 10/23/06 07:38 PM
When my brothers, sister and I were kids, my Mother used to use the expression, "that's the straw that broke the camel's back!"
Mom typically would use this expression as a response to us kids fighting or getting into "things" we shouldn't have been. Seldom was it said in jest, it was … (13 comments)
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Excuse me...your integrity is showing. - 10/22/06 10:58 PM
Fraud is running rampant these days. This morning there was a blog where one of the members sat in a class where the teacher actually gave tips on "setting up" situations to trick the banks into cutting the prices on properties.
Other posts talk about unsavory mortgage schemes that include a real … (4 comments)
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Make a positive out of a negative - 10/22/06 10:16 PM
Occasionally there things in our lives or where we live that just aren't considered popular or a good thing.
For instance in New Jersey it is a "put down" when someone asks "what exit?" The reason this is, is because most people think of New Jersey as a place with nothing but … (5 comments)
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Grow like a tree - 10/21/06 11:43 PM
Amid volumes of openness a single tree stands tall.
When faced with adversity are you like the tree?
Reflect and grow...
Dig your roots in deeper for strength.
Look to the heavens for enlightenment.
Sway in the breeze for flexibility.
Stand tall and proud for you are unique individual...and that is Okay.
<photo was taken on top of … (10 comments)
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I hate rebates - 10/21/06 11:20 PM
It seems every time I go to purchase something, it's on sale. The price is advertised as being reduced, yet still I have to pay the full price, submit a rebate coupon and wait for weeks on end for my money to be returned.
Last year I purchased a Sony Vaio. It … (18 comments)
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Graffiti as art...or vandalism - 10/21/06 10:37 PM
Tagging has become a major problem in many areas. Up until a few minutes ago, I thought all tagging was graffiti and all graffiti is vandalism.
Vali, my daughter quickly set me straight on this. In her opinion graffiti is street art and not to be confused with tagging.
In my old fashioned … (10 comments)
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My Spell Checker is Dumb - 10/20/06 11:25 PM
What's with the spell checker?
I faithfully try to remember it every time I post a blog. Most of the time I use it when I comment. My spelling skills are fair to middle-land, but my keyboarding skills...stink. I actually go backward as much as I go forward...erasing my mistakes. Or … (16 comments)
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Towns that change their names. - 10/20/06 10:39 PM
Recently I learned of a town near my childhood home that changed it's name. I found it curious that an established town with a longtime name would find it necessary to resort to such a drastic measure. Wondering how often that occurs, I did some Google research.
Over the course of history many established towns … (7 comments)
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Looking for Wifi - 10/20/06 05:44 PM
Wifi is not such a big deal anymore. Whole communities sometimes are wired, offering the service free to who ever wants to use it. Logging on is usually as simple as turning on your computer.
However not everyone knows what wifi is.
If you want to have some fun, next time you go … (15 comments)
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The times, they have been good! - 10/19/06 11:05 PM
Sometimes it takes going away for awhile and coming back to actually notice changes. I come back "home" to New Jersey's exit 100 once a year. My family lives in the area, so I make an effort to visit on a regular basis. I left many years ago, choosing the western … (10 comments)
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Urban migration... - 10/19/06 09:36 PM
Across the country we are experiencing a migration of people moving back to the city. The urban "sprawl" has run it's course, folks who so desperately wanted to live in the country are now reversing their decisions and returning to the city.
Why? Long commutes, gas prices and the feeling of dis-connectivity all attribute … (14 comments)
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Try Looking at Life Through the Eye of a Lens - 10/18/06 11:48 PM
Something magical happens to me when I stand behind a camera. My focus begins to change and I begin to look for a "frame" to make the perfect picture.
The perfect picture has interest, color and balance. Changing one's perspective, often changes the whole picture. I find I can stand in one … (9 comments)
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Denver Welcomes the Urban Land Institute Conference - 10/18/06 06:33 AM
More than 6000 of the world's leading developers, architects, planners and others are attending a conference in Downtown Denver through this week. These leaders focus on developing with smart growth and transit oriented, sustainable neighborhoods. Timing is everything. In this arena, Denver is offering a tour of the new FasTracks transportation … (0 comments)
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Got Goburb? - 10/17/06 10:24 PM
Our Metro Area is Changing
Next month Denver Metro's $1.7 billion TREX Light Rail line will open up. It's a wonderful addition to our much needed public transportation system. The new light rail will service SE Denver Metro's suburb communities all the way to Lone Tree.
Along the Light Rail line, many new … (6 comments)
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Culture Clash - 10/17/06 09:52 PM
Have you ever noticed how differently people live in a home? Some people take immense pride in how their home looks and spend their spare time keeping it clean, neat and tidy. They never let a blade of grass grow out of place and fix things before they have too. Conscientious folks … (8 comments)
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Colorado tops the nation's growth rate - 10/17/06 11:38 AM
Today the U.S. is celebrating it's 300,000,000 person. Colorado has a population of 4.8 million and a growth rate that is faster than the rest of the nation.
The nation is growing at 1% a year, Colorado's rate is 1.4%. Experts are predicting a future growth of 1.8% is on our … (1 comments)
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New Upgrade Available for Bloggers...do you qualify? - 10/16/06 09:55 PM
Are you a Spammer?
Well today maybe your lucky day! Now for a LIMITED TIME only you may qualify for an Active Rain Upgrade, a lovely, collector's item Etch a Sketch, with possible wireless connectively. This can be yours if and only if you qualify...
Can you answer "YES" to the following:
1) Do … (15 comments)
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Teenagers and empty houses... - 10/15/06 11:57 PM
A few months ago I sold a home, sight unseen to California buyers. They had visited the Denver metro area, and fell in love with a certain neighborhood. At first it looked like we were going to purchase an existing new home, but the on site broker made it too hard to do … (32 comments)
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Branding doesn't hurt! - 10/15/06 11:34 PM
Talk about branding is everywhere. Branding can be a complicated and simple as a Nike Swoosh, recognizable in sound as your PC booting up to play the Microsoft chimes.
OK, but these examples are of big companies with marketing departments and huge budgets. What can we, as real estate industry professionals can … (15 comments)
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Rookie mistakes and other blunders... - 10/14/06 09:47 PM
New people sometimes fall prey to foolish blunders when beginning in the real estate business.
They tend to be looking everywhere for The Answers. Rookies and even more seasoned people seem to expect there is an EASY ANSWER to having success in real estate. This is true in the industry as … (9 comments)
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Good Grammar doesn't end in grade school...or does it? - 10/14/06 08:11 PM
Bloggers on AR talk about spelling and grammar errors frequently. We all agree it's important to to avoid making errors, but the problem is, we don't know when we make them!
Errors occur also, because many times the message is not proof read. I for one get in a hurry or … (23 comments)
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Ever been accused of being full of hot air... - 10/14/06 12:29 PM
Salesman are famous for rhetoric that induces people to purchase. As Realtors we sometimes fall under the old salesman banner.
I don't know about you, but I hate being categorized as a salesperson. I don't think of myself as a salesperson, although I know I am in "sales."
What is the difference? To … (59 comments)
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Weekend Road Trip - 10/13/06 11:29 PM
After a busy week of selling Denver real estate, I'm on the road going due south to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It's not too far away from Denver, but far enough away in spirit to feel as though I've left town. There's nothing like a road trip to make me appreciate … (12 comments)
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The BIG Shakedown..following up. - 10/13/06 11:05 PM
We had good news today after the Shakedown for a referral fee, the TPR calling the Big Broker Boss to tell him the customer would not lose his relocation benefits if he worked with our agency. Additionally, we didn't need to pay a referral fee.
Of course we all knew that, it … (4 comments)
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DAM in Denver - 10/12/06 11:00 PM
Denver Real Estate & Current Events
Last week the Denver Art Museum opened, with rave reviews. People stood in line before the sun came up to get free timed tickets to enter. Some even came back in the middle of the night just to be among the first to see the museum. … (13 comments)
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The Big Shakedown....NOT! - 10/12/06 10:32 PM
An agent in my office has been diligently working with a gentleman who is relocating here with a large company. Although they have not met, the agent has developed a very good rapport. This coming week they will meet to start the actual home search.
The customer (who is not yet a … (41 comments)
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Foreclosure Hotline...need help...call now. - 10/12/06 10:19 AM
Denver Colorado Real Estate Issues
Facing Foreclosure in Colorado?...Call for help
Colorado launched a Foreclosure Hotline this week. It's purpose is to assist people who are delinquent on the mortgages. Counselors will act as intermediaries between homeowners and lenders, to work out a game plan, help organize finances, avoid scams, reduce potential liability … (18 comments)
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Change ~ how do you deal with it? - 10/11/06 11:27 PM
Changes occur everyday. Some people manage to deal with change and embrace it, others don't fare so well.
To a control freak, change is very difficult. Learning to cope with change and by going with the flow is hard to do.
When changes come, we spend so much time looking over our shoulder back to … (9 comments)
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Who is your audience? - 10/11/06 10:58 PM
Blogging is much easier when you know who your audience is. Who is listening to you? Who do you want to listen to you?
When I get to writing, I often think of a situation I need to speak to. Solving a problem for someone is simple when I know what the … (11 comments)
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Second string... - 10/11/06 12:35 PM
I've been working with a very savvy investor lately. She does her homework, than calls me to see the home. We aren't your typical "looky loues" we mean business.
I find myself constantly making excuses for listing agents for a variety of reasons.
A 4 plex without proper access available to all units … (11 comments)
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Our Field Trip... - 10/10/06 10:52 PM
The broker at my company believes in knowing all about the area we serve. From time to time we get to go on a field trip to learn more. As agents, we enjoy our little trips out into the field. Today we visited the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, aka … (5 comments)
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When buyers remorse strikes...is there a cure? - 10/10/06 10:05 PM
Denver real estate reports...on Buyer's Remorse.
Buyers experience a flood of emotions at time of purchase. If the buyer is about to commit to a home purchase those emotions can become very intense. It is not usual to be working with a buyer for months on end only to have them dissolve … (12 comments)
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Building a Business .... in my own backyard. - 10/10/06 08:20 AM
Jeff Belonger asked a very good question on his blog this morning. Jeff is a lender who was wondering if us Realtors will refer to a lender out of state. My response to him was among the first from a Realtor and the answer we negative. Why? It's not because I … (36 comments)
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Mile High Magic - 10/09/06 10:34 PM
Football season is here, the Rain neighborhood is quiet, Monday Night football is on. Tell me are you guys watching the Denver Broncos?
If so, good choice!
Our town, no our state goes nuts with Bronco fever. It's fun to watch, it's even better to participate.
Everyone needs a hero. In Colorado our … (7 comments)
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More Fraud - 10/09/06 08:15 PM
As fraud becomes more and more prevalent, we have to watch not just our back pockets, but our pocket books as well. As citizens of this country, we have fraud...almost on every street corner.
What can we do about it? I suggest for starters we zip up the purse...
Is this AFLAC … (15 comments)
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Colorado Ranks in the middle for closing costs... - 10/09/06 12:36 AM
Colorado real estate closing costs...
Last month Bankrate released the 2006 National Closing Cost Survey results. The findings indicted Colorado as being about in the middle (#23) of the rankings. New York had the second highest closing costs, for the second year in a row.
The survey compares fees of the lender, title and … (9 comments)
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Catching up... - 10/08/06 11:12 PM
Every now and then I have to put aside anything new and take time to finish up what's started. I'm speaking not just work projects, but home chores as well. You know, the shirt with the missing button, that's been sitting in the same spot for a month. Or it's the checkbook … (11 comments)
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We mess with Mother Nature... - 10/08/06 10:13 PM
Colorado Ski areas aren't content to wait for nature to take it's course. They are happy, because tonight the temperatures are dropping low enough to fire up the snow making machines.
The Kiwi Team in charge of making snow at Loveland said 24 hours of cold, they can blast enough snow to … (6 comments)
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A good plan....changed - 10/08/06 09:04 PM
Yesterday was an awesome fall day, the sky was beautiful and clear, it was nice and warm. I showed a commercial property before breakfast so I found myself with some time on my hands. Off for my favorite photo spot to see if I could catch some fall color in Denver's … (11 comments)
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Cyber Recycling - 10/07/06 11:51 PM
Denver Real Estate Cyber Recyling Plan
Awhile back several of the Rainers (Ben, Rory, Bill French) mentioned how we are coining too many Domain Names. The fad as of late is to buy the address of your listing for a domain name.
Naturally the Registras LOVE this practice. It brings in money. … (21 comments)
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Question!!! Regarding the ratings... - 10/07/06 08:58 AM
Once again I find myself confused. The ratings used to be easy, up or down.
Now I find myself wondering which way good is or not so good. I know the middle is neutral. So, can anyone tell me is (1) good - meaning The Top Scoring?
Or is (5) the … (45 comments)
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Are you a Bookie? - 10/07/06 12:01 AM
Well, maybe not a bookie, but a BOOKMARKER...let me explain.
If you are like me, days pass by before you notice an enhancement on Active Rain. Recently, the boys on the backend of The Rain added a "Bookmark" feature.
Have you noticed it?
It's very cool. I've been busy bookmarking all the wonderful, helpful, … (12 comments)
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Carpetbaggers are on the loose...lookout for dirty deals - 10/06/06 11:00 PM
When times get rough, some people get creative. Not creative in a GOOD way. As we all know loan fraud is running rampant these days.
Homeowners expecting and needing to sell homes are anxious and frustrated. Investors (aka Carpetbaggers) are coming in offering them outrageous prices in return for a fraudulent … (20 comments)
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Colorado Home Values - 10/06/06 07:56 AM
COLORADO HOME VALUES
Over the past 15 years Colorado Home values have climbed at a higher pace than the national average. These numbers are according to the U.S. Census Bureau report released this past week.
Over the past 5 years, Colorado has lagged in median home value as compared to the national average. … (12 comments)
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Big Blue Bear - 10/05/06 10:38 PM
Denver Real Estate Highlights the Colorado Convention Center
Denver opened the new Colorado Convention Center this year. It's a beautiful and very practical Convention Center located downtown, just off the Light Rail.
Outside the Convention Center is a wonderful great BIG blue bear, peering in the window.
I always like to take my … (17 comments)
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Learning the Ropes - 10/04/06 11:52 PM
Denver Real Estate Advice for Learning how to Learn!
Between real estate and technology there seems to always be something to learn. I remember on more than one occasion when I sat in front of a computer trying to figure out what the heck I was doing wrong. Over and over I … (13 comments)
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So you want to be a blogger? - 10/04/06 11:30 PM
Now that you have signed up , it's time to blog.
Before jumping in with your original post, read what others are saying. Contribute to the conversation by leaving comments on other blogs. Say something that adds value, don't just say, "nice blog" or something short and meaningless. If you have nothing … (53 comments)
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Change Your Perspective ~ Change Your Mind - 10/04/06 11:00 PM
Perspective , what an interesting word. It relates to so many things, visual, graphical, cognitive and point of view. Today I was trying to gain some perspective on where my current client is coming from. She is moving here from New York, the Borough of Queens. I've been to this area, … (0 comments)
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Denver metro home for sale ~ Sold and closed - 10/03/06 11:35 PM
Priced at $620,000.00
SOLD & Closed 12-15-2006
View the Visual Tour
View the website Im Beautiful Inside!
You will love this large home on a beautifully landscaped lot in The Farm in the prestigious Cherry Creek School District. Sanford built with quality in mind, this home has over 4500 square feet of finished living space. … (3 comments)
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Novelty or Necessity, what is the Internet to you? - 10/03/06 10:30 PM
Denver Real Estate Questions Internet Use, where is it heading?
Tonight the news had a feature about the Internet being 15 years old now. They said almost everyone is online now keeping in touch with family, learning or doing business.
The Internet has changed my life. In fact my life evolves around the … (28 comments)
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The Naming Game - 10/03/06 07:01 PM
There's a lot of noise about names here on Active Rain.
One poor misbehaving girl has lost her fine name (not really but her reality thinks it so). Others are naming babies...yet another tricky task. Sometimes we here about naming a domain. Which is better top level domain, to hyphenate or … (22 comments)
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Stretch Your Mind...Bend Your Brain... - 10/03/06 05:48 PM
Wisdom from many sources is being dispersed on Active Rain daily. Sage wisdom comes from a variety of people, young, old and everywhere in between. I wonder is the wisdom bouncing over heads are is some being absorbed?
Have you ever heard of Scotomas?
Scotomas are "blind spots" that derail your ability to clearly process information and … (23 comments)
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Living In Denver ~ my phone call today - 10/02/06 11:22 PM
Monday's are always busy days on the phone. I field calls from people all over the country coming to Denver, thinking about taking a job in Denver and just plain wondering about Denver.
One of my calls today was from a very nice lady in North Carolina. Her hubby will be flying … (8 comments)
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What does your Inbox look like? - 10/02/06 10:10 PM
Email I love it, I hate it.
Well let me qualify that, I love the ease and freedom email offers, I hate spam. I despise unsolicited junk mail that seems to follow me where ever I go.
My Inbox is neatly configured with filters for newsletters, online classes, AR, Listings, Leads, Sales and … (27 comments)
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Kiss me, Kiss me - 10/01/06 10:41 PM
The importance of understanding and being understood...
As I traveled the world I've noticed people in other cultures making a huge effort to learn to speak English. My observations noted that people who spoke English were prosperous. It became very obvious to me that English is the International language of commerce. Successful people make … (8 comments)
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