YOUR ADVERTISING BUDGET - 02/28/07 09:26 PM
Curiosity has the best of me. Advertisement can be, and often is key in this business. I would like to get a good response and input on a few aspects of advertising.
What methods of advertisement do you feel is the most effective? Is there anything you swear by? What methods of advertisement do you feel is the biggest waste of money??
We know we can spend a HUGE amount of our money on advertisement. One thing I love about Active Rain is getting the opinion of others in the field on subject that pertain to all of us.
So, give me your opinions... … (10 comments)

Cecil County Informational Websites - 02/28/07 05:37 PM
Cecil County has long been known for it's rural settings, links to the mighty Susquehanna River, and vast amount of local history it carries. Listed below are the towns located amongst Cecil County, and a link to each of their website.
Cecilton http://www.ceciltonmd.gov/
Charlestown http://www.charlestonmd.org/
Chesapeake City http://www.chesapeakecity.com/
Elkton http://www.townofelkton.org/
Northeast http://www.northeastmd.org/
Perryville http://www.perryvillemd.org/
Port Deposit http://www.portdeposit.org/
Rising Sun http://www.risingsunmd.com/
www.pricececilhomes.com
www.priceharfordhomes.com
… (0 comments)

Cecil County's best kept secret.... - 02/28/07 12:59 PM
In my neck of the woods, there is a great secret kept. In between Rising Sun and Conowingo there is a small ice cream parlor, "Kilby Cream." The Kilby family have a great history in Cecil County , Maryland. There are politicians, farmers, veterinarians, and more. Their name is well known throughout the county.
Lisa Kilby opened a small ice cream parlor a few years back, on the premises of one of the Kilby's Farm. Kilby Cream features home made ice cream, with fresh milk from the Kilby farm. With flavors named as "Moose Tracks", "Holstein Cream", and "Birthday Cake" there is … (0 comments)

JUST AN UPDATE!! - 02/28/07 12:44 PM
For anyone who was wondering.....
 An update to my post, "Will I sit at the Settlement Table Alone?"No one sat at the settlement table today. It is rescheduled for next week (for the 4th time). My buyer is now aware there was a big stink made over NOTHING!!
His apologies were given to me. I did make a voo-doo doll of him last night, and stuck it with many pins...
www.pricececilhomes.com
www.priceharfordhomes.com
… (0 comments)

damned if you do, damned if you don't!! - 02/27/07 08:23 PM
I am on the warpath today, I just wanted to post another rant...
My seller of my overpriced listing that I posted about a few weeks ago, has been presented with a FULL PRICE CONTRACT!!!!!!!! YIPPEE! right?? Wrong.
I finally convinced the seller to reduce the riiculously overpriced "castle", and after much arm twisting they did. They priced it where it should have been to start with.
Guess what? Under contract in two days.
The sellers now think they jumped the gun in accepting the FULL PRICE OFFER. They think they should have held out and waited for better. Better?
HELP!!!!!!!!!!
www.pricececilhomes.com
www.priceharforhomes.com
… (4 comments)

Will I sit at the settlement table alone?? - 02/27/07 03:40 PM
Picture this..... A beautiful cherry dining table with eight lovely chairs placed neatly and strategically around it. No places set, just the settlement officer, the sellers agents, and myself, the buyers agent. It sounds perfect, right? Wait, but wait, where are the buyers.
Are the buyers coming? Probably not. I have been working this deal like a dog since September. Yes, today, February 27, 2007 at approximately 2pm they informed me they are not coming tomorrow at 1pm. Their settlement has been rescheduled twice, due to problems with the walk through. Now, the day before settlement, they feel as if they … (1 comments)

Is it okay to light up?? - 02/26/07 07:51 PM
I read an extremely interesting article the other day, referring to communities as condominiums or townhomes not allowing homeowners to smoke in their own homes. What do you think??
Personally, I am not a smoker, never have been, but do you feel as if this is invading your rights as a homeowner? Let's see, homeowner associations dictate many things. They can tell us how often to cut our grass, whether to have a swimming pool or not, and even what colrs we are allowed to paint our properties. Should they be able to tell us what is able to go on behind … (28 comments)

No ACTIVE Rain, Just Snow - 02/25/07 05:22 PM

NO RAIN HERE! JUST SNOW!
Sunday Open Houses were cut short or cancelled here in Maryland. This is the view from my place in the world, in Conowingo, Maryland. These are a few of the over 10,000 Christmas trees which are on the farm where we live.
Please DO NOT FORGET!!! We are still looking for agents to participate in our referral based program "50 States of Great Agents." Please send us your info, we would love to add you.
Visit our website, and click on the link, 50 States of Great Realtors to find out more!!
www.priceharfordhomes.com
www.pricececilhomes.com
… (0 comments)

An Active Rain idea, "How Far would You Go?" - 02/23/07 01:57 PM
I have read a few posts lately about what lengths to go to for you clients. I have come across a few blogs that member have listed just how many properties they will show before firing a buyer. I have a few thoughts on the issue, again they are only my opinion, and mean no offense to anyone...
Yes, there are buyers out there who are not really buyers. They are just wasting time, looking at homes to get decorating ideas, or maybe to be nosy. There are also buyers that are indecisive and need that extra push in the right direction.
I … (1 comments)

Another question to ask... "Do you have any unpaid parking tickets?" - 02/22/07 04:02 PM
I was browsing through a local newspaper this afternoon, where I saw an article about unknown items that can affect your mortgage. Unpaid parking tickets an traffic violations! What a shocker! There are so many questions you already have to ask your buyers/sellers, now add this one to the list.
It is said, certain local law enforcement agencies report violations and fines to collection agencies. After the collection is ignored, it is then turned over to the credit bureaus. These seemingly harmless to some, and minuscule fees can turn dramatically serious when applying for you home loans. Applicants with unpaid parking tickets or … (3 comments)

Gift giving, listing attractions... - 02/21/07 05:48 PM
I learned of a new idea today I thought I may let you in on. There is a service out there who serves my area (Baltimore, Harford, Cecil Counties) in Maryland. This service delivers boxes and moving supplies to your home.
Not only do they deliver the boxes and moving supplies, but they have tailored plans to meet and families criteria. Townhome, condo, number of bedrooms it does not matter what it is, they have the named type of boxes and items you need. They also sell their items ala' carte. The prices are extremely reasonable.
I thought this may be a great … (0 comments)

IT'S A BOY!!!!!! - 02/21/07 11:22 AM
I would like to announce our newest addition to the family here on Vinegar Hill Farm. Our Toggenburg goat, Daphne, had her baby, a little male kid sometime throughtout  the night. Mom and baby are doing great. It is always nice to see the miracle of birth!
… (2 comments)

Mall Kiosk Advertising - 02/20/07 10:18 AM
How many agents out there use a local mall kiosk to advertise their listings? In my area of Harford County, Harford Mall has a Long and Foster kiosk managed by an agent in our office. I advertise my listing, and advertise myself and my services on the kiosk. To date, I have not received any leads off the kiosk, yet I am curious to see if any agents out there have a success story related.
It is most definitely a great way to pick up buyers, by sitting at the kiosk for a few hours. The mall is often filled with busy … (6 comments)

"I've had a virus, and it is driving me crazy!" - 02/18/07 04:10 PM
It is no secret, I love to get to my mail, blog, and MLS frequently throughout the day. For the past three days, my personal computer has been ill. We, or shall I say, I!! do not realize how much we depend on the Internet today. Or not even the Internet for that matter, but our computers. I believe my pc has been infected with a bad case of spyware.
Luckily, my hand held personal device, phone, sends my email to me automatically upon arrival, so I am in fact still in the loop. I just  wanted to share my personal … (0 comments)

10,000 Points, many more to go.. - 02/16/07 01:08 PM
We have reached 10,000 points! I just wanted to blog on the LOVE I have for Active Rain. I have never been a blogger before, (in case no one has noticed.)
10 Reasons I Love Active Rain
1. The people. The people I have met here are great! It is wonderful to interact with a great bunch of professionals, with the same interest.
2. The exposure. The exposure we get here is growing every day.
3. It keeps me motivated! Active rain motivates me to continuously be connected in the Real Estate Community, and to keep up on my blog, and everyone else's posts.
4. … (1 comments)

Has anyone used Craig's List to grab a buyer? - 02/15/07 06:54 PM
I was speaking to someone in the office the other day, and  was informed about "Craig's List." I am looking for an opinion on the site.  Also,  wondering if anyone out there have done their homework on this site? Is there a capacity to acquire a actual lead there?
I have been doing my homework, browsing the internet looking for places to "gain my popularity." I have never been extremely Internet savvy until now, when I have had the assistance of my Mentor, Gary Nelson, and my self-teaching.
Put your two cents in and let me know if you have had any success stories with … (43 comments)

Pre-Sale Inspection, what do you think?? - 02/13/07 09:28 AM
I have noticed lately, there are sellers out there who invest in a pre-sale inspection. Do you feel this is an investment, or a waste of money? If there are large structural, electrical, plumbing, or other expensive problems hiding, it may pay to find these, and correct them. Also, it may entice a portion of buyers to see a home inspection report attached to brochures or other informational literature on the property.
Although, some of these reports are not worth the paper they are printed on if the inspector is not a reputable one, just a friend doing a favor. Most buyers … (5 comments)

Use Your Keywords Wisely, even in Your Listing Description - 02/12/07 09:30 AM
Have you ever read a listing description and been totally turned off? This is something we may all want to rethink. After reading an article referring to which ad-words sell a home faster, I poured over a slew of listings in my area seeing if their claims in this article held any water.
In my opinion, which may not matter to anyone, I feel it depends on the buyer. It was said to "steer clear" of the wording "handyman's special." Although, what if your buyer is looking for that particular type of property? The word "beautiful", I remember hearing someone say once, … (0 comments)

Scouting buyers at an Open House - 02/11/07 06:21 PM
This month I have done an open house every Sunday. The particular property draw quite a crowd every time. To date, I have gained one qualified buyer in three weeks. I wanted to get the experts opinion out there on what they consider a fair estimate of what their open house buyer statistics consist of.
I am knowledgeable of the property, extremely friendly, and wiling to offer my services. From experience what do you feel about open houses? Who do they benefit? I personally feel like most sellers expect an open house on their property now and then. Do we hold these … (6 comments)

DID SHE RUIN THE DEAL?? - 02/09/07 06:50 PM
It's Friday, I thought I would throw a humorous TRUE story on my blog. I hope those who read it enjoy. As I have mentioned before, we reside on a small farm in Cecil County. Behind our home, there are lots which are being developed, which are owned by my family. There was a builder interested in the lots who came to take a quick tour of the property.
He arrived, parked his car in the driveway, and headed towards the back of the property with a family member giving him the tour. A few minutes later, I heard a ruckus out … (0 comments)

Spring is coming and more than flowers will be popping up - 02/09/07 06:30 PM
AH, the first blooms of spring. The grass begins to grow, the flowers will bloom, and yes, some will get the itch. No, I am not talking about hay fever, I am talking about the itch to move. I am excited, with spring comes fairs, festivals, and a whole lot of marketing opportunity.
During the winter here in Maryland, it can be gray, dreary, and sometimes downright depressing. Curb appeal of a home grows with the grass, shrubs, and other warmer weather beauty. Not to mention, alot of people seem to hibernate in the winter just like bears.  
Tick- toc goes the … (0 comments)

Misrepresentation, or a different motive? - 02/08/07 08:33 PM
I came across a situation today at the office which I felt was a clear case of misrepresentation. Please feel free to give your opinion, whether or not you feel this is misrepresentation or not.
I have a client looking for a farm. I have been searching to find him a property consisting of 50-100 acres. We have made appointments to view a few of these properties for Friday. I was thumbing through the listings reading the remarks, mapping out my route, when I came across something I found unusual.
I suppose the old adage."When something is to good to be true, it … (0 comments)

It is what it is.... - 02/08/07 04:01 PM
Some things never seem to suprise me. Today, I attended a walk-through with my buyer, to a new construction property they are purchasing. The punch out guy met us there who works for the builder and gave us all the info on the home warranty. Now mind you, this is new construction and things SHOULD be close to, if not perfect.
I want to be the best advocate I can for my buyer, I want to make sure they are receiving the property in the condition as promised. When I first entered the kitchen, the first thing that jumped out at me was … (5 comments)

I will never sell real estate in my zipcode - 02/06/07 09:33 PM
Some people farm their own neighborhoods, not me. You see I live in Cecil County, Md. If you are not familiar with it, Cecil County is mostly rural. I live on the farm, but raised in Suburbia. I moved here to the country, and our small farm, "Vinegar Hill" after a fabulous opportunity fell in my lap.
My mother and stepfather had made quite a name for themselves building new construction homes before selling their name and moving to Ket West. They still dabnle in development of land into potential subdivision, and a few years ago purchased 131 acres, an old Christmas … (6 comments)

I'm in a GREAT STATE of mind... - 02/06/07 01:10 PM
WHERE ARE YOU
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massetchusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Pensylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming?????
These are the states I still need Agents from to promote themselves and be willing to take referrals their way. Any other states please repond also. Let's network together to expand our SOI, and increase our client database.
Please share your experience on how you have become to gain regular referrals from another agent in a different location.
www.pricececilhomes.com
www.priceharfordhomes.com
 
… (0 comments)

Everyone (in the family) loves my house, why isn't it selling??? - 02/05/07 04:44 PM
"This place will sell in a week!"
"You priced it at what?? It is UNDERpriced"
"Beautiful! Gorgeous!, Wait for the offers to roll in!"
Yes, this is feeback from my listing. Unbelievable this property is not under contract yet. Everyone, (in the sellers family) cannot say enough about the place. This fabulous awe-inspiring feedback, is from----you guessed it, the sellers family.
They send all their friends and extended family out to see the property, and boast of all the memories there. That is great, but our prospective buyers were not there for all of the past super bowl parties, card games, and holiday extravaganzas.  … (5 comments)

Is Feedback Really That Hard to Get?? - 02/03/07 08:47 PM
I have a very funny story to share this evening. It seems I am always crossing paths with the strangest people. Yesterday, an appointment was made for a listing I have. My seller was extremely anxioius to have the property shown and recieve the feedback. It seemed I would be at the property all afternoon with the stager going over any improvements that needed to be made.
Appointment time came and went. I tried to contact the Realtor to see if he was planning to reschedule, or if the exterior of the property was a turnoff to his client. No answer. I … (1 comments)

Build a Network, build a referral base!! - 02/02/07 08:45 PM
As I am sure you all know, I am desperately trying to build a strong referral system through Active Rain by creating my new webpage and program, "50 States of Great Realtors."
Not only am I trying to gain referrals for myself, but I am also trying to build relationships between Realtors who understand the necessity to "get themselves out there", and meet other agents to generate referrals for themselves. This is a great opportunity for us to work together to gain success!
It is extremely satisfying to see all of the responses I have recieved, and I have been working diligently to try to update and add all … (0 comments)

 
062 Rainmaker_large

Gloria and Jason Belmonte www.cecilcountyhomesearch.com

Rising Sun, MD

More about me…

Prudential Fox&Roach The Belmonte Group

Address: Colora, Md., 21917

Office Phone: (484) 748-6197

Cell Phone: (610) 836-2016

Email Me

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