Angela's Wicked Real Estate Stuff

It's NOT Just Me... Time Flies (and Time Management May Help)

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:13:37 -0600

I was talking with my son (a 17-year-old) yesterday, and he was complaining about how quickly time was passing. This amazes me. When I was his age, time CRAWLED by. I couldn't wait until I got older so I could actually DO some stuff. It was torture to have to wait to do anything.

Apparently, it was a different world way back in the DARK ages when I was young.

This weekend, while waiting in a drive through for some food, my nine-year old announced that it was the fourth of November.

I got irritated, groaned, looked at my teenage son (who was driving) and asked him, "How did THAT happen?"
He said, "What, how did it become November and how is it that it's already the fourth?"
"Yeah. THAT." I replied.
"Time is going by so fast!" he tells me, "You know, it seems like this should be August."
"Of what year?" I asked.

Needless to say, these days, time flies by so quickly and so violently that it's somewhat like an all-over, soul-deep rug burn. (My impressions only ... your experience may vary.)

What amazes me is that this year, which should IMHO still be in the late 1900s or VERY early 2001 at the latest, is nearly over. Soon it will be 2008, which really baffles me. My life is getting sucked away at a rate that is frightening, and I seldom get the things done that I want to do. I get up in the morning, I work, I blink, it's night, I do my "family" stuff, and it's time for bed. (Rinse and repeat.)

It's not always been like this. It's been similar for several years, but this year seems to be particularly bad. Having discussed this phenomenon with clients, family and friends, I have discovered that I'm not alone. Every one is having a tough 2007. I can only hope that next year... less than 60 days away now ... is better. MUCH better. More leisurely, more laid-back and slowed down. More. Well, just MORE.

In the meantime, I'm going to attend a Time Management teleseminar on Friday, November 16th in the hope that the organized, enjoyable life I used to have will find the few breadcrumbs I've managed to leave for it and come back home before next year.

Is anyone here finding these same difficulties?

(photo courtesy of ppdigital at morguefile.com)

Free Class for Virtual Assistants and the Realtors They Serve

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:24:53 -0500

This Thursday, October 11th, RemoteProfessionals.com is offering a free "Ask the Specialist" session which may be of interest to Real Estate Agents and those offering services to Real Estate Agents. It is your opportunity to come and ask your questions on how to:

Present yourself online
Organize your workflow for real estate projects
Customize your website

Visit the www.RemoteProfessionals.com event page and register today to attend on Thursday at noon (EST).

Our own Active-Rainer, Jeri Winkler, will be one of the presenters!

Niching Boosts Business in Tough Real Estate Markets

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:41:35 -0500

I have several clients who are niching their businesses HARD. I've been preaching "niche, niche, niche!" for years, but there's nothing like a tough market to make that niching come to the surface. For those of you who are still looking for a niche in your own market, I want to share some ideas from my current clients...

Super Senior Services

Diana Beam of SmoothMovesForSeniors.com specializes in helping senior citizens and their children with "RightSizing®” their lives. Her reach goes well beyond the real estate portion of her full line of senior services. This long-time Indiana Realtor has joined her real estate savvy with her over 20 years of work protecting and assisting senior citizens in a variety of capacities.

"This market is growing and needs special attention," says Diana, "and I'm working to build a system to help other real estate agents help seniors in their own geographic areas." The project, SmoothMovesForSeniors.net, is a whole new business model for the real estate industry and is currently in beta-test mode. (She is currently accepting a limited number of beta testers.) Diana's interviews have been an activity flurry lately as the idea of this new niche is beginning to emerge and the media is beginning to take note.

"I work with the families and with the seniors to make sure that the transitions that are needed are what's best for all parties," says Diana, "sometimes this involves reviewing all the options, sometimes it's a matter of helping them to make changes in their existing home to facilitate aging-in-place, and other times it involves a complete lifestyle shift."

Whatever is needed, Diana works "hands-on" through the entire "RightSizing®" process to free up the family and the individual. "I help them to look forward, rather than looking back and so many of my clients are amazed that they enjoy not being tied to their old way of life, and they start branching out to experience more and worry less. The families love that I help them to shoulder the burden of the responsibilities during these times. I love that I can help people and can put the 'service' back into real estate services!"

__________

Luxury Staging for Sales

Linda Bobski of LuxuryRealEstateStaging.com takes the staging of her homes (and the homes of other listing agents) to a new level. "I prefer to work with builders and vacant properties, since I my services provide the most impact there, but I also work with home owners and other real estate agents," said Linda. "First impressions really make a difference, and I can make that difference a positive one."

Linda isn't merely a Realtor who understands the importance of staging a home for sale -- she is an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) and is a member of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals. In addition to staying abreast of the real estate market in Kansas City (and both Kansas and Missouri), she also takes continuing education classes in staging.

Linda is a full-service staging Realtor and provides as little or as much as each client needs. She will offer consultation services for those who want help in knowing what needs to be done, but who are willing to do some or all of the work themselves. She also offers bids to do the entire project for those people who don't have the time, patience or desire for "do-it-yourself" staging.

"I want to give my clients as much or as little as they need to create an impact in potential buyers. The home, when I'm finished, is staged as a home for the incoming resident. Professional staging makes it easy for an individual to imagine themselves enjoying their own life in a given place. Staging makes a buyer want to wrap themselves in the environment," says Linda, "and I make that happen."

Linda recently launched LuxuryRealEstateStaging.com to help homeowners and other real estate agents learn more about staging and what they can do to improve the odds for individual houses in this tough market and will be adding staging articles on a regular basis to the new site.

__________

Value-Added Renovation

Jeff Aughey of AlphaHomes.com has discovered a much-needed and even more appreciated niche in the current tough market just outside of Atlanta Georgia (in Alpharetta and Johns Creek). This particular geographic market has twice the inventory now as it had this time last year. While other agents are feeling the pinch, this proactive Realtor rolled up his sleeves and got to work... literally!

“What's not selling right now are the properties that need work or those that are easy to overlook,” says Jeff, “I'm working with my own resource list of area painting, construction, and repair professionals that do great work on renovations. We are enhancing homes so they not only sell, but they sell faster and for more money -- even in this market. We are actually returning money to the seller on their investment.”

In a time when many Realtors are cutting commissions to survive, Jeff is charging a premium and is getting excellent results. "It is unbelievable what I can do with a cooperative seller. The most recent update project has been a joy. I'm not doing the work, but I do coordinate like a real estate renovation "general contractor” from my tried-and-true list of excellent subcontractors."

Jeff always looks for colors that need to be updated and gives special attention to the kitchens and baths. Sometimes he orders the place painted, sometimes there are minor repairs and even some not-so-tiny physical changes.

"The most exciting thing is being able to take a weakness that a house has... for instance a kitchen floor with ivory tile and dark grout (which was really ugly) and make it became an accent, with the proper wall paint and staging," says Jeff, "What was a weakness is turned into a visual positive -- without a tremendous cost to the owner."

Jeff warns that if it's done wrong, it can be a catastrophe. “You have to understand the real estate market, the current design trends and the basics of home construction, renovation and repair. The secret is to find the best people for the job, hire them, pay them well and coordinate the effort to give the owner the best possible outcome.”

Yes, this niche means that Jeff spends more personalized time with each listing and each owner, and he has fewer listings, but moving homes in this market at higher prices means everyone wins!

__________

So if you find that your own real estate market is in a slump, maybe you should consider niching a particular type or menu of services to help your clients get what they need and want, and insure your success and the quality of your bottom line... even in THIS market!

Apple offers $100 to $200 back on iPhones

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:47:07 -0500

Were you an early adopter? Upset about having an iPhone now that the announcement was made yesterday that the price is dropping by $200 effective this weekend? Well, I have some info you may want.

In an open letter, Steve Jobs offers early adopters $100 credit toward an Apple or online store purchase for all of us who bought the iPhone early. Read about it here:

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/openiphoneletter/

And if you purchased in the last 10-14 days... you can get up to $200 back by contacting Apple at 1-800-676-2775.

I just thought you might like to know.

And for those who have been considering an iPhone, you have more (*and less expensive*) options available now.

Personally, I'm loving that I got it in June. I've enjoyed it enough since then to make up the difference... but I'll still ask for my credit!

Want a Discounted iPhone? Refurbished Models Released

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:40:32 -0500

I'm loving my iPhone (yes, it's still not "worn off") and I just found a page on the Apple site that is offering $100 off the units (both 8 and 4 gig models).

Some are refurbished, and some are returns or restocks. All come with the standard warranty and the ability to get an extended warranty -- if you do that sort of thing (I don't).

The catch, after much talking back and forth and emails to and from the folks at AT&T, is that they are STILL requiring a two year contract just to use the phone -- even if you have a contract already, even if you are no longer under the weight of a contract, and even if you buy the phone elsewhere.

A more thorough treatment of what I've learned is available on my "other blog".

A Gift for You: Ask a Broker the Dirt on Working with Outsourcing Providers and Virtual Assistants

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:13:51 -0500

Ever wondered what it would be like to have someone help you with your overwhelming work load? Have you heard about virtual assistance, about outsourcing professionals, about freelance project services for real estate, but have hesitated to try it out?

How would you like to ask a real estate broker for the real story on working with the offsite service provider? Want to know what works, what doesn't work, what he recommends and what he would recommend you avoid? Just ask!

Miguel Berger, of TechValleyHomes.com (and an Active Rainer himself) has agreed to host an event for all curious real estate professionals through RemoteProfessionals.com and will follow it up with a no-holds barred Q & A on using virtual assistants and outsourcing professionals. Miguel has been "high tech" for years and has used outsourcing services for over six years. (He was the first in his area of New York to adopt the "virtual assistance" concept.)

His presentation, aptly named The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of Outsourcing Real Estate Projects will be held on August 16th at noon (EST).

If you, or someone you know, would like to learn more about developing a working relationship with a "virtual" provider, join us. Space will be limited to permit attendees to ask questions of Miguel... so register now!

This is the second free event to help RemoteProfessionals.com celebrate a second birthday.

Pretty cool when YOU get the birthday gift... without having to get a year older, isn't it?

(Note: Image taken from Morguefile.com courtesy of photographer somadjinn)

Cute, Fun and Multi-Media'ed

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:48:33 -0500

I was poking around here on AR when I found Jeff Turner's Active Rain blog about the iPhone (referenced from another question about "is the iPhone all that" here on AR). This led me to notice his Gizmoz.com answering machine and I was intrigued. It's kinda cool!

So I went over to the Gizmoz site and poked around until I created my own version. It's so much fun -- and so easy -- that I thought I'd recommend others go and burn up all that "extra" time we ALL have -- playing with an animated "mini-me" that you can create online. (Fun, even if it did give me a pretty severe hair-cut!)

Enjoy!

Get your own at Gizmoz.com

Class Is In Session: Enjoy a Free Event Designed for New Virtual Assistants!

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:30:18 -0500

RemoteProfessionals.com is celebrating two years as a networking organization for outsourcing specialists, virtual assistants and offsite service providers. We want encourage everyone to join us as we celebrate . . .so we have developed two great events for July and August -- and we are offering them both for free!

(I'm proud to be serving on the panel for Start-Up Virtual Assistant Entrepreneurs.)

Event #1: For Those New to the Virtual Assistant Industry (and those curious about VAs). Let us help you get a jump-start on your outsourcing career!

Ask the Specialists - July 26th at 12:00 noon (EST)

Our panelists will answer your questions in this special one-hour teleseminar designed for newly established virtual assistants. Comprising the panel will be specialists in:

Accounting/Finance
Website Design
Blogging

Register today to reserve your spot, then come with your list of questions ready and come prepared to walk away with the answers you need. I hope to "see" you there!

If you are a real estate agent, Realtor(r) or broker, you may want to join us for the August event! (More on this as the time gets closer.)

(Note: Image taken from Morguefile.com courtesy of photographer cohdra)

Lovin' My Shiny New iPhone!

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 06:59:58 -0500

Ok, I wrestled with the decision... but I did it. I broke down and got an iPhone on Friday -- despite the lines and the road-trip required to pick one up. (Maysville, over an hour away, was one of the two locations in KY that didn't sell out in the first hour -- so I made the trip!)

I now have one shiny, new 8 gig baby and after a weekend with it I must say... I LOVE IT!

Before this, I was carrying an old cell phone (because I flat refused to buy a new one until the iPhone came out), a 60 gig video iPod, my digital camera and all the "accessories" to keep all those things charged and working.

I must admit, my purse is quite a bit lighter, more organized and... well, dang it... my phone is amazing! I'll probably not carry my Tablet PC nearly as often as I have been with this little tech pet in my pocket (or purse).

I realize that Apple wasn't (supposedly) going after the business market, but this is one cool little business tool, IMHO. I think it will be especially appealing to real estate agents. Over the next few days, I'll be blogging about my finds over on my "other" blog: WickedBlog.com.

I must say that the mapping with the satellite overlay is much easier to use and renders incredibly well on the little thing. The viewable area is over twice the size of my video iPod for movies/videos. And the image you see to the left is one I took of my daughter Saturday morning, using the iPhone camera. Not bad, eh? I'm working on business apps now -- web-based and sync options. And while I'm typing this, I'm listening to my favorite playlist. It's all pretty sweet, I must say.

Jealous, aren'tcha? :)

Cross-Generational Communication Conundrums: Can You Hear Me Now?

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 22:38:49 -0500

Today, I wrote an article on Custom 404 Pages on my "other" blog.

My mother, being a doting parent, cruised over to read my blog on a Saturday afternoon. (I have to be soooo careful what I say, since she does occasionally get a wild hair and read my blog). :O)

So, she read the post and then sent me an email. (My mother does NOT comment on posts -- no matter how often I encourage it). She sends emails -- or she calls. Period.

She tells me that 404 pages do not make her feel stupid, they make her angry.

She explained that since she found the website, obviously SHE didn't do anything wrong. She says that the website owner is "jerking her around or something."

She also didn't like my "funny" examples. (She was on a roll at that point). I'm sure that's partly because she's a staunch Republican and I listed one that didn't cast Bush in a positive light (see what I mean about being "careful"?). But she didn't like the other ones because they held her hostage (I guess she didn't want to click away, either. Hmmm.)

Now, please understand, my mother isn't an "angry" person -- so this attitude really surprised me. It was a total breakdown in communication and it took me awhile to understand what caused it.

It was caused because she didn't understand what a 404 page IS and what it DOES.

Once I explained that every webpage on my blog (for example) has it's own address, that starts with my URL -- but then has an extension which identifies the page -- she understood how a missing page would still leave her on my site. I then explained that outside sources may link to my website and since I'd switched content management systems lately, that there was a chance that some of those page names may have changed -- especially if I didn't redirect them all.

She told me I SHOULD redirect them all, otherwise I was being rude to my visitors. *grin* So she gets that part.

I bring up this example because my mother has been using the web nearly as long as I have. She's good at research and she's fairly tech-savvy -- but since she doesn't HAVE a webpage, there are some things she doesn't understand.

Likewise, you may have web-savvy clients and visitors from a USE standpoint who don't quite understand the way things work (like what a 404 error really is and what it means), even though you assume that they do.

It would never have occurred to me that any visitor to my site would consider a 404 error as a personal affront. Now I know better! Personally, I find it annoying and usually try to troubleshoot (I check for typos in the URL and search for another way to get to the page I want on the site). But, that's not my mother's approach at all -- and is probably not your visitor's approach either.

So if you aren't currently using custom 404 pages, you may want to consider that now. And, be sure you use a 301 redirect when you move pages -- otherwise, my mother would think you are rude. And trust me, she's the expert on etiquette!

Parting thoughts for those who have or maintain a business website:

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. - Robert McCloskey

(Note: Photo by Anita Patterson - isn't it beautiful?)

Legal Question: Don't Ask, Don't Tell?

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 02:24:06 -0500

I've had a client that recently asked me to do a marketing package on a property. (It's a beautiful place). One problem... she told me that a few years back there was a brutal murder there of a small child.

What does the LAW say about when/if this information must be divulged? Apparently there's a neighbor that likes to run out and tell any prospective buyers the gory details.

I've advised her to do three things:

Contact her broker/lawyer on her legal obligations
Have the seller get a cease and desist letter out to the neighbor immediately
Refrain from highlighting the "family friendly" nature of the area and the swimming pool/playground next door

I'm not a lawyer and I'm not one to be secretive -- especially in business dealings -- and I don't know how the law treats this type of situation in real estate disclosures/transactions.

I know this would throw me into an ethical tailspin for awhile, but I'm curious... what are the rules?

National Bring Your Dog to Work Day...Seriously?

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 10:04:35 -0500

Ok, I love my dog. Her name is Zoe. She's great. But do I want to bring her to work? Not really.

I have my own office, so I can do it. I have done it. I can have her curl up under my desk at any time and I can shoo her out too. But, if I worked in an office and several of my co-workers brought in their pooches, I'd probably take a vacation day.

Does that make me a bad person?

I give to the Humane Society -- heck, Zoe is a pound puppy herself -- so I'm not anti-canine. I just don't think that this is an idea for my own workstyle.

The reports I've read this morning claim that one in five businesses participate in this event, created by Pet Sitters International. Somehow I doubt that.

In real estate, there are constant battles with dog lovers (and those with cats and other pet types) to convince them that not everyone loves their "baby" as much as they do... and perhaps "out of sight" is the best approach for showings.

So how many agents/brokers encourage this event in public offices? I'm just curious, because I can't imagine that anyone does.

Now, before you ask, Zoe is terribly un-photogenic (just like her owner) and she's not a pit bull (I get that question all the time) -- she's a boxer mix. She's also horribly dangerous -- if you are allergic to pet slobbers.

Intermap and Microsoft Shake Hands: New 3-D Mapping Technology Will Hit US Soon

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:37:44 -0500

So you thought that the new mapping technology you have seen lately is cool? How about THIS version? Intermap and Microsoft are joining forces to use radar technology based on elevation and graphic interfaces to create a virtual online version of the real world: Virtual Earth 3-D (Beta).

I've seen quite a few "heatmaps" and stat maps and assorted bells and whistles in the mapping arena lately -- but this one goes a leap ahead, IMHO.

This newscast, from WebProNews.com gives you a glimpse of the future. Who said online maps had to be boring? Now event the virtual world is no longer flat... but it does kinda look like SecondLife, doesn't it?

How will you use this in YOUR online real estate marketing... once it hits the states?

Google Adds Ratings to Map Feature: What Will People Say About You?

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:14:27 -0500

Google has just announced the addition of local reviews to their popular local map features. So, just to see how this works, I popped over and did a search for my favorite pizza place nearby and did my first "user review" on Google local maps. It was quick and easy and I'll probably do more soon.

Growth in Google Searches

According to a recent report by Hitwise (released yesterday), Google carried 65.13% of all searches in the USA during May. This, compared to the 59.27% market share for Google the same time last year, shows that Google is only growing in popularity. No big surprise there.

Importance of Local Search

Many agents have noticed the fluctuation in page rank and SE results for real estate keywords with the latest alogrithm tweak by Google. It's frustrating for you, but more frustrating for your clients who end up landing on less than useful pages. Local search becomes increasingly important as general searches provide less tasty results.

And... these new reviews are centered on the local search and mapping scenario.

Who You Gonna Call?

It's a bit unclear how this will look in a few months. Maybe, like many "reader-centric" services (think Wikipedia), this will be a great thing. Maybe it won't. But I'd be interested to know how you expect it to roll, if you are going to watch your reviews and how you plan to handle any reputation defense issues, should they arise.

What Will You Say?

Now, I'm wondering as a reviewer... is there any legal liability if I say that I've dealt with a business or a professional that's less than "professional" in their actions? With people suing because a potential buyer said they have tacky colors in their home -- I wonder what will happen with THIS one!

My question to agents and brokers is...

How important will reputation management become as a service as these "come as you are" reviews are not only opened up, but second nature to those folks who use Google? Will you monitor or ignore these reviews?

Chicken Little and the Modern Age: Solar Storms and Global Technology Disruption

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 05:20:45 -0500

Under the file of "I don't have enough to worry about in my life today" comes news from MidwestBusiness.com that I now need to worry about solar "superstorms" that will cause multi-state blackouts, make satellites fall from the sky, cause "economic devistation" and...

*gasp*

Disrupt my cell phone service -- for an extended period of time!

The news comes from Purdue University Physics experts and the predicted ETA for these storms is in five years... in 2012. Read more about the historical precedent for these storms (back before we were so dependent on disruptable technology) and the predictions for the next solar superstorm for this century.

THESE are the things that help me to reconcile my two opposing urges (one to be totally high tech and the second to move back to my VERY rural farm and live life completely "off grid"). *sigh*

Question for Bloggers Using Other Platforms

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 22:51:47 -0500

I'm currently using an independently hosted WordPress installation for my "other" blog (wickedblog.com). Before migrating to WordPress, I used GeekLog (which I still use for my main business site wickedwordcraft.com).

Geeklog showed a views statistic that helped me to decide which types of entries were most popular. WordPress doesn't have that same type of reporting feature built in.

Does anyone (who is using, or has used WordPress) have a plug-in recommendation to capture this information? I would prefer one that you currently use or have fully tested.

I found it extremely helpful to know which posts were most popular so I could "give the people what they wanted" on my blog. I noticed that there were "trends" in topic or specific detail interests when I was using GeekLog that I can no longer capture on WP and I miss that functionality.

I love WP -- but I still need a few things to feel completely at home with the new platform. Any recommendations would be appreciated!

New Linux Folio for Treo Announced

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:12:06 -0500

I'm loving the idea of Linux mixed with Palm's Treo (and have since the first rumors of this surfaced over a year ago) -- and now they have announced Foleo, a larger screen/larger keyboard addition to the Treo device. They didn't have anything like this when I was using the Treo for my everything -- but I would have snapped it up if it had been available.

With my tablet and a PC aircard, I'm not sure this would benefit me, but it's STILL intriguing! If you would like to learn more (or if you are a morbidly curious open-source and Linux fanatic) you can read more about the Linux Foleo by Palm. Read PC Magazine's Report on the Palm Foleo.

Palm has been working on this device since 2005 (when I was having my own love affair with the Treo)

The goal is to make simple computing and connectivity tasks as simple as pushing a button.
The forecast is that a plethora of Linux programs will circulate for this new Treo extension device.
The cost is (reportedly) around $500.

For those real estate agents who wouldn't consider leaving home without their Treo -- Foleo may be the next big(ger) thing! Can you say "Man-Purse?" :)

Back-Breaking Blogging: Back It Up For Free in Beta

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 17:36:32 -0500

I found a free blog backup tool today for all of you who want to keep a backup of the blogs you write, but don't have any other backup method in place.

www.BlogBackupOnline.com

It's free (at least for now) and is currently in beta. There is a size limit, however: You have 50 megs of space and the backups are done automatically everyday.

How Important ARE Good Photos When Selling Real Estate?

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:27:42 -0500

I have a client who recently posted a great blog on why photos are important to listing real estate. His title? Poor Photos Degrade Property Value! - and I can't agree with him more.

If you have a moment, you may want to drop by and read his top three common problems with real estate photos and make sure you aren't having those issues with your own pictures.

Excellent online marketing requires using both visuals and descriptions to give the best service to clients and Jeff captures this with his beautiful, full-color examples of what to do, and what NOT to do.

Multi-Touch Surface Computing for Real Estate Applications

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:51:44 -0500

For two days I've been salivating over the new technology recently introduced by Microsoft and due out at the end of this year. It's simply amazing.

I saw this multi-touch technology in its infancy last year and blogged about it then, when it was still in the lab.

I noticed today that Jeff Turner featured it here the same day first found it thorough other venues (geeky minds think alike?), and if you haven't viewed the video he's featured, you must go do that now! (Jeff, I feel the same way about Microsoft that you do.)

I blogged about Microsoft Surface technology (code name Milan) yesterday (cursing the fact that something this cool would be introduced with "grown up" applications by none other than Microsoft) and actually woke up this morning with a plethora of ideas on how this could be integrated to benefit a real estate brokerage.

Yeah, my dream life isn't probably as exciting as yours... me being a geek and all. :)

And, before this, I was ready (willing and ABLE) to write off Microsoft! *sigh*

I've just completed an article for WickedWordCraft.com on how I see this as a phenomenal tool for the real estate industry and how I see it being used. I invite you to read my vision of how this multi-touch surface technology will be used in your own real estate office. Click the link and step into your own high tech future!

A few highlights:

Virtual Tours Become "Hands On"
Migration of directions to the property, photos and podcasts directly to your portable device (and the customer's)
Easier and quicker transfer of photos, floor plans and plats to real estate websites
Easier client feedback on listings and presentations
Involvement in the technology will actively involve (and secure) clients

I'd love to have any additional feedback on how you, as agents, brokers, listing clients and potential buyers might see this technology as a new way to address marketing, showing/staging property, record keeping and customer service. If I've missed anything in my article, or if you have any additional ideas/comments/suggestions, please share!

This is so exciting, isn't it?!?

City vs. Rural

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Sat, 26 May 2007 04:57:52 -0500

I haven't really fallen off the face of the earth... I've just been moving. I've left my rural existence for a more urban one in Lexington, Kentucky -- at least for a year or two -- due to family needs. Although this wasn't something I'd planned, I thought I'd take a moment to give some of the pros and cons of the lifestyle change for a techie:

Pros for living in the city:

My cell phone is NEVER out of range now
DSL is faster here (and cheaper)
Best Buy is a short drive away
Can you say Starbucks?
I can buy organic foods (beyond vegetables from the neighborhood farmers) locally
Closer proximity to family and friends
Airport is no longer a couple hours away
Real education for the kids (I hope)
No commute to get my mail
I'm seriously considering getting a bike to ride for exercise, fun and "green" travel around town

Cons for living in the city:

It's a short term thing, so I'm renting (*makes face*)
My farm and my cabin (both paid in full) are sitting unoccupied while I pay rent
Walking in the woods now requires planning -- and a road trip
People can knock on my door and/or walk through my yard anytime the choose -- and they do! (I'm kind of strange about privacy)
I'm fat and out of shape and riding a bike around town may actually kill me

So far, other than the complete lack of privacy and control over my environment... the pros outweigh the cons. But I'm pretty set in my ways and this is taking QUITE an adjustment!

How NOT to Sell Real Estate: My Rant of the Day

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 21:40:50 -0500

Brace yourself. I'm on a rant...

I'm currently spending a bit of time at the beach in Ft. Pierce, Florida. It's lovely. I'm here with my mother, my grandmother and two of her sisters.

This is what I went out to see this morning before beginning my work for the day:

(I love my mobile career!) Jealous, aren'tcha?

We are staying in a family member's condo for the week, but being me, I had to take a peek at the real estate market while I'm down here. And I found a cute little cottage that seemed to be well-priced. I showed it to my mother, aunts and grandmother and we determined that if we all pulled together, that we could purchase this property for future getaways.

So I call the listing agent...

I used my cell phone. My cell phone has a private number. I don't give it out to anyone. I forward my 800 number when I'm on the road (like I am now) and I do not want anyone to have that information.

I get a message that the contact number I have dialed does not accept blocked calls.

Not only is that frustrating, it's bad business. I will not unblock my number in order to inquire about a property, thus giving that number to a stranger. It's not going to happen. My aunt loaned me her cell phone because she wanted me to seek additional information. For me, I was already turned-off by this agent and no longer wanted to try to work around the hurdles he had placed for me to contact him.

But, the rest of the crew wants to forge ahead, so I call. I get a voice mail. Not well-branded, not particularly inviting and not offering any alternate contact information. It's during regular business hours. There's no indication of when my call will be returned. I left my 800 number so that even if I were away from the phone, I'd have quick access to any incoming calls (it forwards to my cell and sends an alert to my email whenever I have a message).

We wait.

... and, we wait some more.

I didn't indicate if it was the quaint little cottage or one of the lavish condos or a multi-million dollar beach front property that I wanted to see. I called on Monday, it is now Wednesday afternoon. Sure, I could call another agent, and I probably will -- but that's not the point of my rant.

I work with real estate agents, Realtors(r) and brokers every day. Everyone is concerned about lead generation, about having calls coming in, showings to be made, listings to be posted... and this is often what happens when those leads are generated. Not with MY clients, of course... but with some. :O)

If this were not a common problem, I'd assume it was just a bad agent. But, for me, this has happened several times. I literally had to chase the agent to buy my 25 acre farm over a period of weeks. I had to call and follow up on my own when I bought the house in town prior to the farm. In my experience as an individual, it's the rule rather than the exception.

I know that Active Rainers aren't like this. I know that people who blog, who network, who open themselves up to be known -- even before that first call is made -- understand the importance of handling clients.

But I also know that this group, more than any other, understands the importance of contact management and prompt communication with leads ... so this is where I'm placing my rant. Right here, where people who really "get it" will commiserate with me.

*rant ends now*

If I Had a Real Estate Niche: Tiny Houses and Trends

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 12:38:33 -0500

A tiny house trend is becoming more visible on the real estate landscape. Personally, I'm thrilled with the prospect. I am a tiny house advocate. I'm building my own little house on my 25 acre farm. I believe that the trend of the 80s and 90s of real estate expansionism is a trend that is long overdue the impending death-rattle.

Yes, there will always be people who want the luxury properties -- the expansive, no-holds barred, traditional estate. And that niche is a lucrative one for many of my own clients. It's an enjoyable niche to market. The luxury arena is secure. It is a market that won't decline based on these new trends.

But the wanna-be market will. It already is.

McMansions, the "fast food" of the real estate industry with lower quality building materials and an eye on square footage for its own sake, are on the decline. The desire to keep up with the Joneses is finally starting to wane. People are becoming more comfortable with who they are and are making choices based on what they want, rather than on what other people think.

Consumerist inclinations are giving way to the more ecologically sound "smaller is better" view on real estate. People, now living longer, are more concerned with a quality home -- one that will last, be easy to maintain, and will feel like home throughout the stages of a lifetime. They are paying more attention to amenities in their communities that are within reasonable walking/driving distances.

Although we are a more mobile society, most people still want a place to call home. They still need a place to return between adventures and after the traveling becomes tiresome. They need a place that brings them comfort and joy.

Choosing to live in a smaller house means that less of your life is spent paying for, maintaining and buying stuff to fill a larger-than-necessary home. It means that there is more money for a secure retirement, more money for travel, and more resources. A single resource tops that list... Time. When less is required to maintain a bloated standard of living, there is more time to actually live.

These trends are now finding a mainstream audience. Once-radical ideas like "organic foods" and "ecologically sound practices" are now commonplace and we are entering a new era in Real Estate. The improved offerings of technology makes it easy to have a smaller home with all the "trimmings" and it's becoming cooler to keep things smaller. Think nano-technology and entertainment systems in the palm of your hand. Think about the idea of connectivity and access to vast resources rather than owning resources. People do more research online and less in books that must be dusted, packed, moved, maintained and housed.

If I were a real estate agent, selecting my own niche -- this would be it. Tiny houses, low maintenance living options built in stronger, more closely knit communities. Then, I'd advertise far and wide to attract just the type of people that seek and would appreciate these lifestyle options. I'd find a handful of quality builders and I'd create a resource list that would meet the needs of those individuals relocating into the "sensible lifestyle" community concept I'd built.

If I were an agent or a broker marketing my own business -- this would be my path, my calling and a niche I could really sink my teeth into. For anyone out there seeking a niche that's going to blossom over the next few years, and anyone willing to work to build the demand for that niche and organize those types of individuals and offer what they most need -- I encourage you to do this.

I encourage you to do what I would do... if I were you.

Want Free Versions of Paid Software -- All Legal And Stuff?

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 09:47:43 -0600

I tripped across this site today that offers a free full-featured version of a downloadable software package each and every day (limited to a single day only).

It's a crap-shoot on what will be offered, but it offers some really nice software from time to time -- at a price that can't be beat!

Visit http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/ to learn more.

Enjoy!

You Understand Blogs, But Podcasts, Wikis and Social Bookmarking Still a Bit Fuzzy?

Angela Parker (WickedWriter.com) — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 14:46:53 -0600

If you are trying to get up to speed on Web 2.0 and are finding it a tremendous challenge, I've found JUST the resource for you!

As part of the Open Sourceware Consortium, a group of top -name universities, colleges and institutions world wide are offering select courses online for free.

This one, from the University of Utah, gives you the basics of Web 2.0 elements in easy to understand and palatable format -- so you can take it one topic at a time. Enjoy!