Jacki's Blog

Twittering...have you tried it?

2008-06-19T00:11:32Z

So I know that the AR community is a pretty tech-saavy, up-to-date, forward thinking group. So maybe you're all already Twittering. But I for one just heard about this about a month ago. And I finally joined Twitter last week. And already, I'm hooked.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, it's like blogging on crack...aka micro blogging. You only have 160 characters.

I'll admit that I didn't get it at first...not one bit! But I'm starting to get into the swing of things. And already, I've had my SendOutCards business pick up because of it! People have connected with me that I doubt I'd have met otherwise. Pretty cool stuff!

So check it out at www.twitter.com. My name on it is SOCJacki. Make sure you "follow" me if you sign up, and I'll in turn "follow" you. I know, I know....sounds like a bunch of stalkers. If you try it (or are already on it) let me know what you think!

Until next Time,

Jacki

Media Hype: Are we Obsessed With It?

2008-06-16T13:47:28Z

So I'm wondering, is the talk of Today's Economy, Gas Prices, and the 2008 election affecting your real estate business? I know for myself, you can't seem to even get an answer to "How are you doing today?" without hearing about one of those three topics!

And I know it's beating a dead horse, but The media's negativity is out of control. Now, I'm not saying that these topics (as well as real estate, mortgage crisis, blah blah blah) are not valid stories. However, the media continues to fuel the proverbial flames of such topics, and has GOT to start taking some responsibility in the mess that we are in.

Of course, more than that is our obession with such topics. If the Media Hype didn't sell, they would stop reporting it. So why are we, as the Media Consumer, still purchasing newspapers and watching the news? Have we not had enough yet? I for one have.

I actually boycotted watching the news on TV back when they showed the contractor that was beheaded in Iraq. They actually showed the footage on tv, right up to the point of contact. Then they froze the frame, but left the sound on, so we could all hear this man die. As if that weren't bad enough, they then cut to their reporters in front of the man's parent's home. They were at the front door, trying to interview the family, RIGHT after the family found out how their son died. ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS?

How did that enhance my life? Did this make me a better citizen? Did this make me in any way able to do anything different in the world? NO. It was sensationlism, plain and simple. They wanted to sell ratings. Period. So maybe I'm only one person, but I figured that if I didn't BUY the ratings, then I could sleep easy at night, knowing I wasn't contributing to future stories like that.

Whew....this didn't start out to be this heated. But thanks for listening to me rant.

Gas Prices: Jumping on the Band Wagon

2008-06-12T18:49:32Z

OK...I'm not one to really blog about popular social issues. After all, everyone else does a fine job of it. But I HAD to jump on this band wagon.

With Gas Prices out of control, what are you doing to combat that? Especially when you are in real estate, a career that has one driving around like crazy. How are you finding it effecting your business?

Me, well....all I can say is thank God for credit cards...ha! (Ummm....if you're with Visa...please ignore that last sentence!)

Until Next Time,

Jacki

Do what you love...

2008-06-11T12:40:17Z

Are you doing what you really love? I have to say, the past couple of weeks have really challenged me on this issue. After all, I am not only a SendOutCards Senior Manager, but I am also a real estate agent.

Last week, I had the final chapter in the Saga of my most challenging Real Estate Client EVER. And it didn't end pretty, I can tell you that. And I'm sure all of you reading this are now flashing back to your own personal memory of YOUR most difficult client. We all have them....they are what can make us or break us in this industry.

But of course, as you go through that, you naturally ask yourself, "Hmmm...why do I subject myself to this kind of torture? What was that about again?" I'm a big believer that if you do what you love in life, the money will follow.

And the only reason I am in EITHER of my careers is simply because I LOVE what I do.

So this leads me to my point...I am SO grateful to have a career in SendOutCards in conjunction with my real estate career. They go hand in hand. And when one makes me question my sanity, the other is there for me to turn my focus on. I can afford to take a week or two breather from real estate sales (unless I get an offer on one of my listings...that would be lovely!)

But I can turn my focus onto SendOutCards, where the product is a more immediate one. I can do a "walk-through" from the comfort of my own home in my PJs. I can actually open and close a deal, all within an hour. And the best part is, the SendOutCards service is one of the best client retention and relationship building tools I've found. And who needs that more than real estate professionals? So when I'm focusing on selling SOC, I get to talk to other real estate professionals...people who have walked in my shoes. Come on, admit it....we're a pretty awesome group of people! (Well, those of us that are ethical and conduct ourselves with integrity, at any rate!)

And when you've just come out of the situation I have...let's face it, you need all the support you can get!!!

Thanks for listening (or reading, as I suppose the case my be!)

Until Next Time,

Jacki

Starbucks: a business person's best friend

2008-02-27T11:31:07Z

Starbucks. Expensive coffee, or cheap office space? You be the judge.

I would say at least 85% of my SendOutCards business meetings are held at one of the many Starbucks in my area. In fact, I am sitting in one right now. I'm early for an appointment, and thought this would be an ideal blog topic. I think Starbucks might be responsible for most entrepreneurial ventures in the past decade getting off the ground.

Ok...my appointment is here. I'll come back to this shortly.

I'm back. Thanks for waiting patiently for me to finish this blog (although if you are just now reading the blog for the first time, you just waited an entire 1/100th of a second. But I digress.)

So today I had two Starbucks meetings back-to-back. I had an appointment that lasted from 1:30-3:15. Then another that went from 4:00-5:00. Wow. I was one seriously caffeinated girl. Could that be the reason that I'm up blogging at 1:00 in the morning right now? Naaah. This time of night is the only time I know I can focus without the phone ringing, emails pouring in, kids needing me, etc. (Which, don't get me wrong....all three of the aforementioned things are wonderful things in my life! But we all need some time to focus.)

At any rate, back to my point. Starbucks. I can't imagine trying to start up (or maintain for that matter) any small business venture without this terrific icon of the 21st century as a co-conspirator to my success. I know that it wasn't too long ago that home based businesses actually met their clients...get this...in their home. **Gasp!**

Now we have an overpriced coffee house on every street corner in urban and suburban America where, for approximately $4, we can conduct our business. A neutral trading ground where both the person selling and the person buying feel they are on equal ground. Also a place that provides safety. I can't imagine I'd have been as anxious to meet with strangers if I had to bring them to my home in order to do business. (Not to mention the added business start-up fee of a housekeeper in that case. Geez)

If you are an entrepreneur, or in sales of any kind for that matter, than I'm sure you stand united with me in thanking Starbucks for the role they play in your business. Is there anywhere else (other than a Starbucks competitor) that you go to for client meetings? I'm always looking for a great alternative....especially since I practically dumped my entire Venti Latte into my potential client's lap today, thanks to all the caffeine coursing through my system.

Until Next Time,

Jacki

Letting People Know They Matter

2008-02-24T00:14:54Z

When I know I matter to someone, I make an effort to use their products or services instead of someone I don't know. I can't even remember the last time I pulled out the Yellow Pages to find someone to give my business to, can you? (Okay, wait. I do remember. It was to call a cab. I guess I don't network with very many cab drivers....so if you own a transportation company, get out there and meet people!)

This is why I started on a venture based on just that...letting people know they matter. This IS the law of attraction in action! When you reach out to people for any reason, it lets them know you care. And when they know you care, they WANT to give back to you. And we all know the adage:

People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you CARE.

When I joined SendOutCards, I made a commitment to send out one unexpected card every day. I've stayed true to that for the most part, and I've seen what it has done for my relationships, both personal and professional. When I started getting phone calls from my clients, saying "thank you" for thinking of them, I was floored. So it's been a truly valuable layer to building and maintaining relationships.

So what do you do that you find to work in building your business relationships?

Until Next Time,

Jacki

Quarters, Nickels, and Dimes (In other words: CHANGE!)

2007-11-16T23:58:15Z

I wanted to update everyone on AR and let you know that I've made a change!

I am no longer working for a title company. I've decided to go back to being self-employed! I am currently focusing on my SendOutCards business. If you've never heard of SendOutCards, check it out at www.CardEveryone.com. You can even sign up to send out a couple of cards for free, my treat!

This is an awesome system that allows you to go online, create greeting cards, and click send. We then print out your card and mail it for you. You can even do this in your own handwriting, with your own signature. Upload pictures to create highly personalized cards too!

I'll write more later. Just wanted to give a quick update on the exciting change I've made. And I want you to experience the difference Send Out Cards makes in your relationships, both personal and professional. Contact me at 602-904-3454 or cardeveryone@gmail.com and I can introduce you to SendOutCards. Start changing lives, one card at a time.

Title Insurance Tip #3: When Title insurance isn't title insurance anymore

2007-08-31T13:16:40Z

Your clients bought the house, moved in, and thought all was fine. At some point they need to enter a claim on their title insurance policy, only to be notified that "Sorry, we can't help you. You are uninsured." What? But it was all taken care of when we bought the house? How can that be?

Let's look at scenarios that might leave your clients uninsured. Of course, I could get very in depth on this, and this topic could be a whole series unto itself. But for the purposes of this blog series, I want to make sure you simply have enough knowledge to know how to properly represent your clients.

Scenario #1:

Your client is purchasing a home. In order to qualify for the loan, they need to take title under their names (ie. John and Jane Doe, a married couple.) However, you know that after they close, they intend to deed the house over to their LLC. No problem...happens all the time, right?

WRONG. If your client waits until after they close, and the title company or another source then does a courtesy deed to convey the title to the LLC, your clients could be left with no title insurance. And that owner's policy that the seller shelled out a few thousand dollars for is now of no use.

So how can you protect your client? Simple. Tell your escrow officer the plan to convey to the LLC. At North American Title Company (again, I can ONLY speak for the Arizona division, since laws vary state to state), we will make sure the lender knows what will happen, and we will make sure we record the conveyance to the LLC at close, and we insure to the last deed. Which means, your clients will be covered.

(Quick plug for North American Title here...not all title companies do it this way. Some will wait until close and then record the deed as a courtesy. This COULD leave your client uninsured. So be careful, ask questions, and remember that when you hear "all title companies are the same" that no, in fact, they are not!)

Scenario #2:

Joe and Sally Homeowner, a married couple bought their house in 2001. Now in 2007, they are getting a divorce. Sally will be keeping the house. In order to get Joe off of the title, he records a Quit Claim Deed. Sally is now the sole owner of the home. Everything is settled and with no problems, right?

WRONG. If Sally never contacted her title insurance company, she most likely just voided her title insurance. ANYTIME there is a deed conveyance of ANY kind, you need to contact your title company to see what steps should be taken to maintain coverage.

In this circumstance, Sally should have contacted her title company to see what she could do. At North American Title in Arizona, we would most likely draw an endorsement to her policy. This would cost her only $75.00, and allowed her to maintain coverage. Without that, she is now uninsured. And if she later thinks about and decides she wants coverage, she would have to pay for a whole new policy. (Which let's face it, she wouldn't do. And hopefully she would be fine. But if she ever ran into a situation, she could end up losing her house, or paying exorbitant legal fees to protect her ownership.)

OK....so this is already a long enough post, so I won't go into any other scenarios. But these are the 2 biggest things that are common occurrences that can leave homeowners uncovered.

At North American Title Company in Arizona, our policies were updated in 2006 to cover several conveyance situations. But not all title companies cover these situations. And those that do cover it, it's only on policies issued within the last year or so. Again, title companies DO differ. And it DOES matter who you choose to handle your title and escrow needs.

Whew. If you've read all the way to this point, allow me to say congratulations! You obviously care about covering your clients in ways that most agents never even think about.

On Title Insurance Tip #4, we'll look at what things a title policy covers. I'll give you stories of actual claims so you have a good understanding as to WHY it's important to have good title insurance, and a great title insurance company as a part of your professional team!

Until Next Time,

Jacki

Title Insurance Tip #2: Title Insurance Basics

2007-08-30T12:20:02Z

What good is Title Insurance?

I will admit, prior to coming to North American Title Company, I had very little knowledge of what the title policies actually accomplished. I was a real estate agent, and here's what I knew on the subject:

Title insurance premiums were part of the closing costs.
Cost of premiums varied little from one title company to the next
I had a great relationship with my title company's marketing rep, and I was able to receive marketing assistance from him to help create my success as an agent.

That's it. My marketing rep was the sole reason I chose the title company I used. I really knew nothing of the product. And now that I AM a marketing rep for a title company, I see that a huge added value I can bring to real estate agents is in helping them understand title insurance. (Again, not the most thrilling topic. But if you want to be able to really represent your clients well, you need to at least have a basic understanding.)

So here goes:

Title insurance is based on risk elimination. Unlike auto or health insurance, Title insurance looks to the past to avoid future problems.
Title Companies access their title plant to research any potential claims someone may have on the subject property. Liens, judgments, legal actions, disputed interest, rights of way, or encumbrances are a few of the things they are looking for. These are often referred to as "clouds" on title.
Premiums are paid one time and last the life of the ownership.

**Be careful on this point! If your client changes their ownership interest...the previous title policy MAY be null and void! (this will be the topic for Title Insurance Tip #3!)

The Owner's policy is typically paid by the Seller. This is the policy that will cover the new owner in their home should a claim arise. The premium is based on the purchase price.
The lender's policy is paid for by the buyer. This protects the lender's interest in the property. The premium is based on the loan amount.

Hopefully, this will give you some very basic knowledge on title insurance. When your client asks you about closing costs, you will be able to intelligently explain the answer to "what is that?" (Remember, I can only blog intelligently on title in the state of Arizona!!)

Look for my next title insurance tip. We'll examine different things that can happen that will change the terms of the title policy, leaving your client unprotected.

Until Next Time,

Jacki

Title Insurance Tip #1: How to save your client money

2007-08-30T01:30:07Z

Alright, I know that title insurance isn't something that everyone finds exciting. But let's face it, as a real estate professional, you need to know about it. So I thought I'd help.

For my first Title Insurance Tip, I thought I would hit on something that will make you, as an agent, appear even more of a hero in your clients' eyes: discounts. Everyone likes to save money!

Now I can only speak for what we, at North American Title Company in Arizona, have to offer. But if you are not in Arizona, hopefully this blog will give you a reason to contact your title company to ask questions and see what they offer.

So what clients might be eligible for a discount?

Other situations that warrant asking for a discount:

Properties that have been title insured within the past 5 years. At North American Title, this property could have been titled insured with ANY title company over the past 5 years.
Properties that have been titled insured within the past 2 years with the same title company.
And at North American Title, we have a new discount we just filed a few months ago that offers a very substantial discount for a property purchased and title insured through us within the past 3 years.

Want more information on discounts with North American Title in Arizona? Contact me by calling 602-294-2904 or you can visit me online. If you are somewhere other than AZ, contact your escrow officer of choice. And if you are not in AZ and don't currently have an escrow officer of choice, check out our website to see if we have an office located in your area.

And stay tuned for another exciting installment of Title Insurance Tips! (I know, I know, you can hardly contain your excitement. Please do not hold me responsible for any lost sleep due to anticipation!)

Until Next Time,

Jacki

What the Blog is Going on here???

2007-08-26T23:15:30Z

Well hello fellow ActiveRain members. It's been a while since I've logged onto ActiveRain....here's why.

Blogging.

What?? Yeah, I know. This makes no sense. But here it is in a nutshell:

Everytime I think I understand blogging, I learn something that completely throws me.

Now understand, I have what I self-describe as "The Nike attitude towards life." (You know, Just Do It.) So I don't stop to over-analyze. And for blogging, I look at this as a means of creating (or advancing) relationships with clients and prospects. Which of course it is...and so my blog was created.

But then I start to realize thatthere is a whole culture in blogging. It borders on creepy. A cult. A religion. And I'm finding myself getting more and more sucked in. I realized that I just might be too far gone when I read a blog entry that used abbreviations like RSS, SEO, and such...and I knew exactly what they were talking about.

I have realized that there is much more to blogging than I think even possible to learn. Why, it's just like starting up a real estate career. (Follow me on this one)

You think: All I need to do is go to school, pass my test, and get my license. Now I'm a Realtor! I can sell houses!

Then you realize: Oh Wait. There are business start up costs. (well, of course I KNEW this, I just didn't think too much about it) But OK. Now I have my memberships to MLS, NAR, and the like. I have my business cards, and a good brokerage behind me. NOW I can sell houses!

But wait-there's more: Then you learn that there are no buyers and sellers just waiting around every corner for you. You have to go find them. You thought your brokerage would be providing these. No such luck. OK...so you shell out the money to market yourself to your sphere of influence. NOW you can sell houses.

Then you start to learn all the different ways to make your marketing work. There are so many venues, and now you want to take advantage of ALL of them. The more the better! You want SUCCESS. You want to be the top agent in your area. And so you start to go after not only your sphere, but you establish a geographical farm, join several networking groups, buy expensive technology tools, sign up for the best follow up systems. NOW you can sell real estate, and do it better than anyone else.

Oh wait. Now you see that you need to actually make all of those marketing systems work TOGETHER. Now you realize the importance of your marketing plan. You know...the one your broker told you to create when you were brand new...but you were too busy wanting to sell real estate, so you ignored the advice. Now you are trying to remember how to start.

So how does this relate to blogging? Well....it's the same thing. You set up your blog and have at it! You write, you link, you drive your target readers to your blog. But then you start to dig deeper, and then you make the adjustments. Then you learn more, so you go after more. Before you know it, you've gone and subscribed to over 100 blogs all about learning how to blog. AHHHHHH. This could drive me to drink.

And so, kind, knowledgable, AR bloggers, I BEG of you.....HELP!!!

I would like to go back to the KISS theory. And so, I thought I'd ask for your top tips to successful blogging on AR. Please post a comment and let me know. I need your advice!!! (Quick...before I subscribe to "365 tips to blogging your way to success, and do it all in under a month")

Until Next Time....you'll find me awaiting your advice, while debating to have another martini.

Jacki

Faith. Law of Attraction. Call it what you will.

2007-08-03T02:26:00Z

First of all, let me say that my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families of the tragedy in MN. I was looking through articles and photos of the MN bridge that collapsed. It's moved me...first for the tragedy. But then for another reason. There is hope in every tragedy, and here's what I found.

I came across this picture, and I found it pretty amazing. Do you know why?

It's not the bridge that collapsed....it's the one that didn't. What about it? Take a look and what do you see? That's right....there are cars driving on the bridge left standing.

This is the definition of Faith.

It's believing that the bridge will take them safely to their destiny, even though there is disasterous evedince right next to them that it actually might not. The consequences of following their faith, their belief that the bridge was built properly, that the bridge will continue to stay where it was built, could be deadly. Yet they crossed on that bridge anyway.

And they reached their destination.

But what about the other cars? We can't tell in this picture, but I am very willing to bet that there were drivers that came to the bridge and turned back....not willing to cross. Not having faith. Or other drivers that heard about the bridge and completely re-routed their way to their destination. Or maybe didn't even go to wherever they were heading out of fear.

So what happened?

Those with faith made it to their destination. Not without fear. not without doubt. But because they acted on their faith, they accomplished their goal.

Those without faith did not reach their destination. They had the same fear and doubt as I'm sure the other drivers did. But they did not have faith. And so, they were left behind. Sure, they were safe. But at what cost? In the end, what did their safety get them other then an unfulfilled goal.

And so I'm asking you...where do you need to have faith? Right now, everywhere I turn I hear all the sad stories about today's market. But let's face it...you need to have faith that you will reach your ultimate destination...now more then ever. And that destination is success in real estate.

You didn't get into this industry to complain. you didn't get into this industry to fail. You got into real estate to succeed.

And call it Faith, call it the Law of Attraction, call it the Secret, but in the end it's all the same. You must believe that you will make it. Otherwise, you are guaranteed not to.

So face your fears, your doubts, and forget the "state of the market." Yes it's there and we would be foolish to turn a blind eye. But just like the drivers in the picture above....face the facts of the down market, but continue on your real estate path. Continue on towards Success. Do not let anything keep you from attaining your goal...from reaching your destination.

Until Next Time...

Jacki

And the Real Estate Buzz Word of the Day is...

2007-07-27T16:56:49Z

Short Sale. (Ok so that's two words...but who's counting?)

If you've read the real estate headlines lately, then you've heard the term. Everyone is talking about it. It comes on the heels of the last Real Estate Buzz Word, "Foreclosures." But what is it, and why all the attention?

In short (excuse the pun), a short sale occurs when the following conditions apply:

A homeowner has a lien (aka mortgage or loan) against their house.
The homeowner cannot make the minimum monthly payment on the loan.
The home's market value is currently LESS than the balance of the loan, thereby putting the homeowner in a situation of not being able to afford to sell their home.
The homeowner wishes to avoid foreclosure.
The homeowner contacts the lien holder (aka bank or lending institution) and arranges for the lien holder to accept LESS than what is owed to payoff the loan in full.

Well, this certainly makes sense if you're the homeowner, right? Who wants to face foreclosure? Ruin their credit? Have the stress of a large payment they can't afford?

Not so fast, Mr. or Mrs. Homeowner. A short sale is not a "get out of jail free" card. There are repercussions, but they are not nearly as severe as those of a foreclosure. You get to avoid having the enormous hit on your credit score that a foreclosure would deliver. However, you will still see a large drop in that credit score. With a foreclosure, you could be looking at an approximate loss of 250 points to your FICO. With a short sale, you might only see a loss of approximately 100 points.

Another negative for the homeowner is the fact that the lender will now deliver a lovely little note to the homeowner, and they will be so kind as to send a copy of that note to the IRS. These little love notes are often referred to as a "1099". But wait, you're thinking, a 1099 is only delivered for income. And you are correct. The IRS often views the forgiven portion of the debt as income. That's right...the homeowner will most likely need to pay taxes on that amount.

Still...this is better than losing your home outright. So for someone facing a foreclosure, this is a very viable option. But why would the lien holder be willing to accept less than the amount owed? What's in it for them?

For one, the lender is in the business of loaning money. They are NOT in the business of owning real estate. So the fact is, the lender does not WANT the house. Second, there are alot of costs for the lender to take a home through the foreclosure process. All in all, most lenders would like to avoid the costs, headaches, and extra work involved with the foreclosure process. And who can blame them? So for the lender, it is often a wise business decision.

So there's a bit of the basics, delivered a bit tongue-in-cheek. But in all seriousness, if you are a real estate agent, you need to be well educated on short sales. Because this "Buzz Word" is not going to go away anytime soon. And you will need to be able to properly advise your clients who may be in a tough financial situation. And it's more common than you may think. What with ARMs adjusting to their higher rates, property values declining in the past couple of years, and homeowners that chose to use their home as an ATM when property values were at their height, you never know when a past client of yours will call you looking for help.

But don't think that just because you've read a blog on short sales means you are fully educated! If you'll be advising your clients, you need to know more. Email me at jsemerau@nat.com and I'll get you more information, articles, and resources.

Until next time,

Jacki

Jacki's New Real Estate Phrase: Hinge Buyer - What is that and where do we find one?

2007-07-20T16:15:06Z

It's a buyer's market. How often have we heard that lately? I have to say though, I dunno about all that. I think it's a stale-mate market personally. Here's why:

As Jay Butler pointed out in an article in today's Arizona Republic, Buyers must first be sellers. And as we know, sellers are having a tough time right now. So it's the old "chicken or the egg" question in real estate...what comes first, the buyer or the seller?

Does it all come down to people who are buying that don't currently own a home? Or maybe the second home buyers? It's like a domino theory....there's one buyer that has no contingencies (aka a house to sell before they can close on the home their buying) that starts the effect.

Example:

John Buyer buys a $300,000 home with no contingencies from Jane Seller. Now Jane Seller can buy her move-up home for $400,000 from Susan Sellsalot. Susan Sellsalot can now buy her dream home from Sam Sellnow for $600,000. Sam Sellnow can now start working on his financial goal of becoming an investor. Sam takes the profit from his house and buys an investment property for $250,000 and a personal residence for $500,000. Now we have 2 more buyers in the market...and so on and so forth.

See what I'm saying here?

So now EVERYTHING hinges on good ol' John Buyer. I am right now coining the phrase "Hinge Buyer"....that describes John Buyer in a nutshell. (and if you've heard this term before, let me know. But I think we might be looking at a Jacki Semerau Original here.)

Easy enough, right? There's always first time home buyers out there, right? And if you think about, hasn't real estate been like that from the very beginning? I can see Chris Caveman, needing to upgrade to a larger cave due to his growing family. So he barters with First time cave dweller Dave, previously living in his parent's cave. You see where I'm going, right?

Ahhh....but it's not that easy anymore, now is it? Why not? Here it is...the Real Estate Buzzword of My Blog, SUBPRIME.

With the subprime debacle still in effect, lenders are all too scared to lend their money. Some guidelines are way too strict for John Buyer to qualify. If John Buyer doesn't qualify, then all of those subsequent sales mentioned above don't happen. Leading us to a Stalemate.

As I heard on a real estate radio talk show this week, the pendulum looks to be swinging too far in the opposite direction. So how long do we hold on? Where do we find those first time buyers that DO qualify? What can we do to change the direction?

Post a comment and tell me what you think....where do we go to find the "Hinge Buyer?"

Title and Escrow and Marketing, oh My!

2007-07-17T02:18:52Z

I decided to do it. Blogging...who knew? I've stayed away from it as long as possible (and, if I'm going to be honest, because my company had all blogs blocked from viewing!) But about a week ago I told myself, "if I see one more article on blogging...I'll begin to think there's something to it!" And alas, about 20 minutes ago, Rismedia sent out an email about...you guessed it...blogging in real estate.

I had heard horror stories regarding how long it takes to set up a blog. So instead of overthinking it, I took the Nike approach (Just Do It). And like I said, 20 minutes later, I'm typing this out. How about that?

I'd like to take this first blog to let you know what I intend to blog about. I'm a Marketing Rep for North American Title Company (we prefer the term Business Development Manager, but it's all the same). I specialize in the Northeast Valley in Arizona (Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, NE Phoenix). And it's my intention to blog about issues as they arise in my arena of the local real estate industry.

Some of my blogs will address technical issues, some will address marketing issues, and some will address the real estate market in general. I will highlight community events, ideas on how they can be used in marketing yourself, and more. (in other words, whatever comes to mind at the time that I'm typing away)

My intended audience is as follows: Real Estate Agents, as well as investors, in the Northeast Valley here in Arizona. If you are reading this blog, and you don't fit that description, then you are forbidden and must vacate the premises immediately. JUST KIDDING!!! Of course you're welcome to play along!

And at any time, please feel free to visit my website at http://www.northeastvalleyresource.com/. There you will find information such as:

Title and Escrow - what is it, how does it work, and why do you need it.
Schedule of events - Classes, tours, clinics, seminars, etc.
Meet my staff - Get to know the escrow professionals that will be taking care of your transactions when you write North American Title on Line 91 of your next contract.
Important links - Valley information, Building projects, County and governement websites, etc.
Community Updates - What is going on in the NE Valley, and how can you use that information to grow your business.
And more!

Until next time....