Mark Hall World Tour - Making Friends Everywhere I Go! - 09/30/08 01:03 AM
This is  Jim Morrison's biggest fan, the Notorious Raphael. We met him at the Renaissance Cafe in Paris, which is just a few meters away from the cemetary where Jim Morrison is buried.
I say "Notorious" because, on a later trip to Paris, the police pulled us aside and warned us that he is a very well known pickpocket! When we confronted him with the allegations, he admitted that it was true but he also told us that he never steals from his friends. He claimed that we are now his friends.
I gave him our card and let him know … (3 comments)

Green Drinks - Vancouver Wa. - September 30th 2008 - 09/28/08 12:58 PM
Just a quick reminder that this month's Green Drinks event in Vancouver Washington is almost here!
September 30th Hula Boy-downtown Vancouver Washington 
Introductions will begin @ 6PM-feel free to gather earlier  
Anyone who is interested in Green building, Green Living, or a more Eco-Friendly lifestyle is invited. This month our 5-minute spiel speaker is by Alyssa Kail, account representative with The ReDirect Guide (www.ReDirectGuide.com).  Alyssa will provide us with a brief walk-through of the ReDirect Guide, a sustainable living directory for the Vancouver/Portland metro region and talk about how businesses and organizations are qualified as sustainable in order to be … (2 comments)

12 Year Old Invents New High Efficiency Solar Cells - 09/27/08 01:22 PM
My buddy Todd told me about a 12 year old boy in Oregon who invented a new kind of solar panel and he suggested that I write a post about him. This is pretty incredible.Seventh Grader, William Yuan's bright idea to create a new, more efficient 3 dimensional solar cell earned him top honors as Oregon's only 2008 Davidson Fellow.His name is William Yuan and he is a seventh-grader in Meadow Park Middle School's Summa options program. He is an active member of the school's Math Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Club, First Lego League team and participant in the Science Bowl and … (3 comments)

Real Estate Video on City Websites - Vancouver Washington - 09/27/08 11:32 AM
Janice and I signed up for a pretty cool service a few months back and it is getting ready to launch in the next few weeks. There is a video production company which has contracted with various cities across the U.S. to provide video content for their city websites. The city website for Vancouver Washington gets over 100,000 hits a month! The production company produces video segments on the local city sights and attractions. As part of the contract, they are allowed to sell video advertising space to local merchants.
My interest was primarily due to 2 facts.
1-     Google has … (3 comments)

October Events in Clark County - 2008 - 09/24/08 05:12 PM
Looking for something to do in Clark County this September? Here is a short list of upcoming events. I hope to see you around town!
K-Rod Memorial Scholarship Walk - RunOctober 4th (register 9am walk starts 10am)Clark College Christensen Soccer Fieldwww.clarkcollegefoundation.org/links/krod_reg.pdf
Pumpkin FestivalOctober 4th & 5thPomeroy Living History Farm20902 NE Lucia Falls Road, Yacolt, WAwww.pomeroyfarm.org
Harvest Festival & Pumpkin PatchOctober 4th - 25thBiZi Farms, 9504 NE 119th Streethttp://www.bizifarms.com/
Chestnut FestivalOctober 11th (12pm - 5pm)Allen Creek Farms29112 NE 41st Avenue, Ridgefieldwww.chestnutsonline.com
Birdfest & BluegrassOctober 11th - 12thVarious locations in Ridgefieldwww.ridgefieldfriends.org
CROP Hunger Walk (5k)October 14th (register 12:30 walk starts at 1pm)Clark College, … (1 comments)

59 MPG in your 1991 Honda Accord. Really! - 09/23/08 07:06 PM
As real estate agents, our lives are severely affected by rising gas prices. We spend a large percentage of our working day in our cars. Driving clients on home tours, driving out to remote area for listing appointments, and commuting back and forth to the office. Even the most fuel efficient vehicles on the market today can put a huge dent in your wallet when you are driving so many miles every day. What choice do we have?There is a fringe group out there who refer to themselves "Hypermilers."HypermilingFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHypermiling is a term used in North America that refers to … (16 comments)

You Can Own This DUMP! - 09/23/08 05:13 PM
… (0 comments)

Green Real Estate Tip #5 – Non-Toxic Ingredients to Make Your Own Green Cleaners - 09/22/08 05:34 PM
So many of the products that we buy to clean our homes contain toxic ingredients that can be harmful to people and the environment. What can you do? You can choose less toxic products to clean your home. Doing that can protect your family and the environment. Additionally, you will save money by using simple and safe ingredients to make your own cleaners.
Here is a brief list of safe ingredients to make your own eco-friendly cleaners:
Baking soda - Absorbs odors and is a mild abrasive. It is easy to find in the baking section of your grocery store.Glycerin - … (3 comments)

Have you seen This? It is PURPLE and it's Totally COOL! - 09/22/08 11:13 AM
This doesn't fit into my usual blogging material which is generally related to real estate in Vancouver WA or green living tips or green building in Vancouver WA. I found this on the web this morning and I am totally captivated by the idea and with the way that Yahoo! is developing it.
Today started like most every Monday morning. I sat at my computer, checked all of the backlinks to my web page, checked my page ranking, checked my page placement on Yahoo for our keywords (1st page!), and checked placement for Google (6th page today but getting better.) Also … (4 comments)

Green Real Estate Tip #4 – How to Purchase Less Toxic Products - 09/19/08 05:55 PM
For those of us who aren't willing to take the time to mix up our own cleaners (or don't care for the smell of vinegar!), there are also ready-made cleaning products that are less hazardous than many traditional household cleaners. Just because you aren't going to make your own, doesn't mean that you have to put your family's health at risk. Look in the health or natural food sections of your grocery store or visit a store that specializes in eco-friendly types of products. Some brand names of "earth-friendly" products are:
Bi-O-Kleen, Citra-Solv, Earth Friendly Products, ECOS, Planet, Seventh Generation, SoapWorks, … (3 comments)

Don’t Fall Prey to Price Seduction? Price Seduction = Price Reduction – OR WORSE! - 09/19/08 04:35 PM
There is a dangerous trend happening in the real estate industry right now. Inexperienced real estate agents (or unscrupulous agents) are out preying on unsuspecting home owners as we speak. They will tell the owner anything just to get a contract to list your home. Rather than telling you the truth about the value of your home, they will give you an inflated value in an effort to secure your business. "Price Seduction" has been practiced since the first real estate agent was licensed but it is especially dangerous right now in our buyer's market.
A buyer's market causes both buyers … (1 comments)

Where have all the Buyers Gone? I Know Where They Are! - 09/18/08 12:46 PM
Have you been wondering where all of the buyers have been hiding? Are you sitting on listings that aren't getting any showings? Hmmmm... Where could the buyers be?
In a nutshell, the buyers are disguised as sellers across America. The buyers for my $500,000 custom home in Vancouver Washington are currently sitting in their home for sale over in Camas Washington. The buyers for the Camas house are trying to sell their little craftsman bungalow in Downtown Vancouver. Where is the key to the complicated real estate lock?
The key is quite simple, all of the homes are overpriced. (Yes, even … (18 comments)

Dear Mr. Buyer, What are you waiting for? A SELLER'S MARKET? - 09/17/08 07:01 PM
Don't you wish that you had bought shares of Google when it first hit the NASDAQ? Ever day dream about what it would be like if you had bought that old beach house 20 years ago? Or what if you had invested in oil futures just short 2 years ago? You would be rich!
Would a... Should a... Didn't!Why don't you do it now? Our current real estate market is perfect for that kind of investment. This is the market that, 5 years from now, people will be talking about.
"I wish I had bought that great house in 2008!" or … (8 comments)

Green Real Estate Tip #3 – Cat and Dogs and Urine, OH MY! - 09/17/08 05:30 PM
So you show up to the listing appointment and when you walk through the door your eyes start to water. The owner's pets are obviously indoor pets and the smell is overwhelming. We get alot of rain here in Vancouver Washington so if you are there in the winter it is even worse. Times are tough and you want the listing but something has to be done. Try this out next time!
Carpet odor remover
A simple solution to neutralize carpet odors is to sprinkle baking soda over the entire carpet. Leave it on for one hour or overnight and vacuum … (8 comments)

Why are Real Estate Agents Such Asses?! - 09/16/08 05:51 PM
Although this may come off to some as being a rant, it really isn't. It is more of a comment on the social structure of the real estate business. Although I am a real estate agent here in Vancouver Washington, I am sure that this goes on throughout the nation as well. The concept is simple: Why are there so many agents out there who feel that they need to be so confrontational?
Anyone who has ever read one of my posts knows that my wife Janice and I work together. Early in our real estate career we ran across an … (24 comments)

Green Real Estate Tip #2 – Dirty Walls and Windows! - 09/16/08 10:30 AM
How many times have you listed a gorgeous home that is clean and well kept except for stubborn old crayon marks in the kid's rooms? Try this out next time!
Crayon mark remover
A simple solution for removing crayon marks from walls, floors, counters, cabinets, and furniture is to rub the area with toothpaste and a damp cloth. Do not use on non-vinyl wallpaper. Stay away from the colored gels and toothpastes with mouthwash or sparkles!
Glass cleaner
For an easy to make glass cleaner without any harmful chemistry combine 1 quart warm water with ¼ cup white vinegar or 2 … (5 comments)

August 2008 Market Report for Clark County, Washington - - 09/15/08 04:56 PM
Residential Highlights for August
 When comparing August '08 with August '07, new listings in Clark County fell 17%. Additionally, closed sales decreased 30.6%. And, pending sales dropped 10.1% At the month's rate of sales, the 5255 active residential listings would last approximately 12.7 months which is unchanged from last month. Year to Date
Looking at January - August 2008 in Clark County compared with the same period last year shows that new listings have decreased 8.1%. Pending sales fell 28.8% while closed sales dropped 32.1%
 12 Month Sales Price ChangeWhen comparing the rolling 12 month sales prices with those for the 12 … (0 comments)

Green Real Estate Tip #1 - Smelly Houses! - 09/15/08 04:21 PM
This is the first in what I plan on turning into a series of eco-friendly tips for real estate agents and home owners alike!I am sure that we have all taken a listing at sometime in our careers that was a little bit less than market ready. As much as we would like to think that we only list homes that have been professionally cleaned and staged, that isn't always possible.
Here is a green tip for home that... well...uh...STINK!
Natural Room / Air Fresheners
After you locate the source of the odor problem and take corrective action, try opening a … (16 comments)

Happy Bunny Goes to london - by Mark Hall a real estate agent in Vancouver Wa. - 09/12/08 05:55 PM
Just in the spirit of fun, here are a few photos of our travel companion, Happy Bunny. HB has been on several trips with us to various parts of the world. Today's pictures are from a recent trip to London, England. As you can see, HB likes to get into a city by immersing himself in the culture.
This is where HB blends with the tourists by taking a city tour.

HB learning the culture by sipping a pint of bitter.

A spicey bunny likes spicey mustard!

No Happy Bunny in this shot. Just Janice and me on the … (0 comments)

Earth Advantage Sustainable Community Standard - 09/12/08 04:35 PM
As a STAR ggraduate at Earth Advantage, I was invited to attend the Pilot Program Launch for Earth Advantage's latest program, The Earth Advantage Sustainable Community (EASC) Standard.
Just when you thought that the guys at Earth Advantage had thought of everything, they drop this wonderful plan on us!Earth Advantage has teamed up with the Energy Trust of Oregon to provide a certification program for entire residential and mixed use communities that compliments the Earth Advantage Silver certification standard for residential dwellings! To say that this is a huge task is the understatement of the century. They are taking a holistic approach … (1 comments)

Green Events In and Around Vancouver Washington - 09/11/08 06:43 PM
I just received an email from my friend Laura Sauermilch over at Green Drinks. She is reminding us of our upcoming meeting as well as informing everyone of some great events in the near future. Thank you Laura for allowing me to share this information via my blog!

Hello Everyone,  
Our next event seems to be right around the corner.  
Sept 30th Hula Boy-downtown Vancouver Washington 
Introductions will begin @ 6PM-feel free to gather earlier  
This month our 5-minute spiel speaker is by Alyssa Kail, account representative with The ReDirect Guide (www.ReDirectGuide.com).  Alyssa will provide us with … (0 comments)

Perfect Starter Home / Investment Opportunity in Vancouver Washington - 09/11/08 06:35 PM
Cute townhome in newer greenbelt community. Opportunity knocks with this property. Perfect starter home or investment property. Built in 2006, this craftsman style townhouse has 3 bedrooms / 2.5 baths and 1182 sq. feet. This short sale can mean a great opportunity for you or someone you know.  Solid rental history at $850 per month and hasn't been increased in 2 years. Now is the time! More photos to come on 9/15/08. Call for today's price and to schedule your private showing today!
Mark & Janice HallElite Realty NW / Keller Williams360 816 9697
When you choose us to handle your Vancouver, … (0 comments)

Sgt. Brad Crawford Park Dedication and Fundraiser - 09/10/08 10:03 AM

You are invited!
Sgt. Brad Crawford Park Dedication and Fundraiser
October 11, 2008, noon - 3pm  
The park is located at NW 131st Street and NW 47th Avenue intersection.   A community celebration picnic will be held immediately after dedication at the park or at the Family of Christ Lutheran Church ( NW 36th Avenue/NW 130th Street), depending on weather conditions.

When you choose us to handle your Vancouver, Washington real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work … (2 comments)

The Dark Side of Paris by a Real Estate Agent in Vancouver Washington - 09/09/08 05:38 PM
I thought it might be fun to share a few pics from our most recent trip to Paris. Janice and I like to visit sites that are a bit off the beaten path.
I took this shot in the catacombs that are located beneath the streets of Paris. This place is amazing. Miles of small claustrophobic pathways between hundreds of thousands of skulls and bones.
The lighting is difficult at best and flash photography is not allowed. Bring a monopod and an eye for the macabre. There are great photos everywhere you look if you can manage to get them on … (3 comments)

A day at the Park - 09/08/08 04:45 PM
I always enjoy a walk in the park and it is even better when that park is a zoo. The Oregon Zoo in Portland, Oregon is a wonderful place to spend the day.Being only 15 minutes from where I live in Vancouver Washington, I get over there a few times a year. The animals are clean and healthy and well cared for. The habitats are large, well thought out and realistically designed. Well, about as realistic as one could create the Pacific Ocean in the middle of Portland!

This has become one of my favorite shots from a day at … (2 comments)

Your home didn’t sell? Let me ask you this…What makes you so special? - 09/07/08 04:34 PM
Here is another great post by my friend Tood Clark, a KW agent down in Oregon.
To be truthful, I am reblogging this post because Todd says that things that I have been too afraid to say to my clients. Well, I am not really afraid, I am a little more delicate about the topic. It sounds like Todd has reached the same point as I have; delicate isn't working anymore!
Thank you Todd for a great post!

Via Todd Clark (Realtor), GRI (Washington Co, Beaverton Oregon):
You have had your home on the market for four to six months now and … (1 comments)

Ashley Manor – The Further Adventures of Bill and Bette - 09/07/08 03:36 PM

A few weeks back I wrote a short post about a couple who I met at our model home at Ashley Manor, in Vancouver Washington. The long and the short of it is that I spend a lot of time in model homes as a real estate agent here in Vancouver Washington and I have the great opportunity to meet some wonderful people. Bill and Bette are two of those people.
This morning I drove to Ashley Manor, opened the door to the model, loaded all of my open house signs into the back of my car and started down the … (0 comments)

Tankless Water Heaters – Not As Green as One Might Think - 09/06/08 08:11 PM
It seems that my recent conversations around green living and sustainable building have been dominated by discussions about tankless water heaters. I just mention high efficiency appliances and people start asking about the benefits of a tankless water heater. Did The New York Times  write an article on them that I haven't heard about?
The funny thing is that I have yet to have the discussion with anyone who would be able to benefit from using one! Let me explain why.
Pro & Cons of going tankless:
The big "PRO" for going tankless is that it only runs when it is … (19 comments)

Have you heard of the Cent-a-meter? New Green gadget that could save you money! - 09/04/08 04:40 PM
This post is a re-blog from a member at the Eco All Stars blog at ActiveRain.com.
I am re posting it here on my Vancouver Washington Real Estate Blog because I feel that Melissa has found an ingenious device to help us stay green and save money.
Thank you Melissa for sharing this great information with us!

Via Melissa Marro www.StagingAndRedesign.com www.RedesigningCharleston.com:
I am hooked on the show WA$TED and recently saw this little gadget.  It's called the Cent-a-meter.  What it does is pretty basic.  It registers how much electricity (in dollars) you are burning at any moment.

I think I'm … (2 comments)

 
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Mark Hall Homes for Sale Vancouver Washington

Vancouver, WA

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Elite Realty NW - Keller Williams, Vancouver Washington

Office Phone: (360) 816-9697

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Mark and Janice Hall of Elite Realty NW lead a dedicated team of real estate agents in the Vancouver Washington area. Each one passionate about providing the highest quality customer service. Each is focused on getting you into the Vancouver Washington home of your dreams.


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