Nick Bastian's Blog

Looking for bloggers

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:46:33 -0600

I am looking for people to do an occasional "guest post" for an "outside blog" of mine. I have an audience that I believe would like to learn more about "Green" living and I think some of you might be a perfect fit. RailLife.com is a "hyper-local" blog in the Phoenix area.

I believe this could be a mutually beneficial situation for us. If you really know your stuff and if you have some good, original content that you are willing to share, please let me know.

Thanks!

Nick Bastian

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

2009 Turkey Drive for Phoenix Rescue Mission

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:02:38 -0600

Once again, it's time for our (7th) annual turkey drive! On Sunday Nov. 22nd, I will be delivering turkeys to Phoenix Rescue Mission as they prepare to feed the homeless on Thanksgiving Day.

I believe that many people have a desire to help others this time of year but find it difficult to do so because our lives are so busy. This year, the shelters need a LOT of help. If you would like to help by making a financial donation, we will do all of the work for you! I'll be purchasing frozen turkeys Sunday morning to deliver to the Phoenix Rescue Mission. (I can provide receipts from the mission if needed.) Please feel free to contact me with any questions or donations.

If you are able to donate one dollar or a hundred ( or more), I am able to purchase frozen turkeys all at once for delivery to the mission on Sunday morning. Over the years, we have found this the easiest way to help the most people. I can give you my address or I can pick up donations up until Saturday the 21st. You can always email me at nick (at) nickbastian (dot) com or call me for more info! I am out and about a LOT, so it makes picking up your donation pretty easy! :-)

Last year, with the help of my friend Rob, we were able to deliver over 875 pounds of turkey for needy families! Big thanks to Rob Sell at Sell Home Inspections for all he does. Thankfully, Rob has really stepped in to be a huge help to me in hauling all of these birds. We both have a BLAST delivering them and want to thank everyone for your donations to such a great cause.

Please help. Every single penny is GREATLY appreciated. We want to make it easy for everyone to help others this Thanksgiving. I would also like to wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Help Walk Score update their transit information

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:53:37 -0600

If you are an agent that sells homes near transit lines or that feels like living near a light rail system could be a benefit to home owners or investors, I would ask that you contact your local transit authority to get your area added to the Walk Score system.

Walk Score is a great tool we have used for quite some time to allow people to “score” a home based on it’s “walk-ability.” While I believe it is a great tool, I hadn’t really been quite as excited as one might think, mostly because their algorithm hadn’t included public transportation, mainly, light rail.

Recently, that excitement has changed slightly as I have seen several blog posts about new transportation data being used in evaluating a Walk Score. The reason I say slightly is because the Phoenix Metro area does not yet have the super cool transit functionality built into the search. ( Flagstaff has it!?!)

Getting the data necessary to add transportation to the Walk Score system is easy. There is a form we can all fill out to request our transit agency to submit a transit feed to make it happen. If you are interested in transportation or are interested in living near the light rail line, please fill out that form and let them know.

Please feel free to leave a comment here and add to the discussion BUT, please also head over to the blog post I wrote about this topic on the Rail Life blog and leave a comment there as well. I would like to get some reactions from some of the "transit geeks" that read the Rail Life blog and it would be great to have them see what some of the people from Active Rain have to say about the Walk Score information. If you are not familiar with Walk Score, you might want to check them out. It is a fun way to tell people how "walk able" their neighborhood.

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Google Wave Enclave

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:10:59 -0600

Ok, who is using Google Wave? As you can see form the following blog post written by my friend Bill Risser, we are going to meet on Monday to try and dive a little deeper into some of it's features.

You are welcome to join us in person or online. If you have a Google Wave account, please feel free to connect with me so that we can chat on Monday at 10am ( AZ time) I am nickbastian@googlewave <dot>com

I have heard good things and not so good things about Google Wave which is understandable for a new product. I have nt used it much yet but see some interesting possibilities. Please feel free to join us!

Via Bill Risser (Chicago Title Insurance Gilbert, Arizona):

OK, the title Google Wave Enclave is a bit pretentious, but I hope it caught your attention.

I'm putting a call out to anyone lucky enough to have received an invite to Google Wave. Nick Bastian (@raillife) and Paul Guenther (@mytitleguypaul) and myself are getting together next Monday, Nov 2nd at 10am in Tempe to experiment, play, and hopefully learn some of the finer points of the Wave.

Nick was lucky enough to receive an invite, and he's agreed to let us use his account for our workshop. If you have a Wave account, and would like to join us, simply leave a comment or contact me at billrisser@gmail.com. The more Wave accounts the better. This will enable us to see just how real time some of the Wave features really are and develop some user strategies.

Click here to see the video of the Google Wave Developers Conference. It's at the bottom of the linked post.

Click on the Google Card to connect with me socially...

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

ASU fans enjoying "Railgating"

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:15:31 -0500

Not long ago, I came up with the term RailGating. Basically, it is a new way for people to enjoy the football games at Sun Devil Stadium while avoiding traffic and parking nightmares. Now that we have light rail available to drop people off right in front of Sun Devil Stadium, many people are using it to get to the games and a new term has been introduced to light rail riding Sun Devils. RailGating is here… Soon, it will be an art form. There is no right or wrong way to railgate, just have fun. There will be people that join existing tailgaters, people will use one of the FREE park and Ride lots and then stop at restaurants and bars near Sun Devil Stadium, downtown Phoenix students can take light rail to the game and meet up with friends, etc.

This weekend, we are gearing up for for some serious RailGating action and a Homecoming showdown with the Cal Bears on Halloween.

In fact, everyone is invited to come hang out with the cool AT&T SparkyCentral camera man before, during (if you don’t have tickets") and after the game. While there, you will have a chance to enter the “Grand Puba” contest to win a bunch of cool stuff. If you can’t make it or are not going to enter the contest, please make sure to VOTE FOR ME. <—yes, click that link and vote so that I win…

According to the AT&T Sparky Central site, these are some of the things up for grabs…

Free passes to home games.
Sideline seating.
FREE AT&T Sparky Central merchandise.
Exclusive V.I.P. Tailgating Railgating events.
More cool stuff that you can find on their site or ask em’ Saturday!

The Homecoming game against California has been picked up by ABC for a 12:30 PM kickoff. We will be there by 10:30am to hang out with friends before the game. (SparkyCentral will be there by 11:00am) The early afternoon kickoff time leaves plenty of time for RailGater’s to enjoy trick-or-treating and other Halloween festivities that evening. Be there, be loud and in gold to carry on the home field advantage for the Devil’s.

ASU has a bunch of great stuff planned for Homecoming. Make sure you check it out and make sure you stop by and say “Hi!”

To come hang out with me and SparkyCentral, take the light rail to the station at 5th and College and head South on Forest to 6th street. At 6th street head west to where the street ends, we will be in the lot on the South side of the road at 101 E 6th Street. Here is a Google map for “RailGating” with us.

For people that are enjoying the games in Tempe, we have set up a new RailGating group on Flickr to share the experiences with friends and with the community. I'll be adding more pics from this weekend so come back and check it out. Finding ways to have fun in Tempe is what it is all about!

See you Saturday… Go Devil’s!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Hey, Snowbirds... We are ready for ya!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:35:03 -0500

Well, it's mid October and the weather man (person) says we could hit 100 degrees here in Tempe this weekend. This is the same weather channel where I see a list of snow showers and 30 degree temperatures in places like Minnesota. It is no secret that we have some amazing weather from November to oh, about May... The population should begin to swell around here any time now. This reminds me of some of the great options for people that we affectionately call "snowbirds." You know who you are...you can't take the heat but know where to fly South for the winter.

While there are MANY options available here, I thought I'd point out a couple for our winter visitors.

How about a great "furnished condo" in Sunland Village East?

This GORGEOUS Laguna 12 model has been well maintained and is being sold furnished! Seriously, all you have to do is bring a toothbrush and a desire to have some fun in the Arizona sun. The home has a very open and functional floor plan, lots of nice tile, tons of cabinet and storage space, one car garage and a nice patio that you can actually enjoy any time of day. What a perfect opportunity for ''winter visitors'' to take advantage of the great lifestyle offered by Sunland Village East ( a 55 plus community ). Golf, tennis, clubhouse, tons of activities, etc. Make sure and look at the video! For just $135,000 it is a lifestyle you can truly enjoy.

Heck, when it gets hot, go back "home!" That's what a LOT of people do around here...

Not sure about where you want to spend all of your winters? You can rent something furnished, as well! Check out this GORGEOUS Scottsdale condo for just $1400.00 per month (seasonal rents- Long term rental rate is just $1,100 per month.) Probably gonna be a heck of a lot cheaper than one of the fancy resorts we have. This gorgeous 2bedroom 2 bath FURNISHED condo is spotless! Beautifully decorated, completely re-modeled and in a location that can't be beat. The unit has granite counters, stainless appliances, beautifully tiled floors, beautiful furniture and decor and is absolutely immaculate! The community boasts 2 pools, a spa, a dog park, well manicured grounds and a GREAT South Scottsdale location. Stay minutes from Old Town, the airport, Tempe Marketplace, Mill Avenue, Scottsdale Fashion Square, restaurants, shops, freeways, jobs, etc! There is even a nearby bus stop and a Trolley system to take you to Old Town Scottsdale! ** Take a look, it's gorgeous!**

Here, you can search for homes in the Valley of the Sun. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

A message from Todd Carpenter - Social Media Manager at NAR

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:38:55 -0500

I have had a chance to tell many of my real estate friends about the REBlogWorld conference coming up next week in Las Vegas. From telling them how cool last years event was to telling them to hurry up and get a ticket...

To be honest, I totally understand that people might not listen to me when deciding to take the trip to Las Vegas for a conference. Tonight, I saw a video by Todd Carpenter telling us to get to REBlogWorld. In fact, he says, get in your car a drive to Vegas if you have to. The conference is jam packed with useful information. As the Social Media Manager for the National Association of Realtors, I am pretty sure Todd knows a thing or two about the subject. Heck, way before Todd took the job at NAR, most of us knew he was someone that has his finger on the puse of social media.

So, agents... Do yourself a favor and get to REBlogWorld...

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Foreclosures, Tenants Rights and LemonLandlord.com

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:05:24 -0500

Foreclosures are a huge part of the real estate market in Arizona. For some, foreclosures are an opportunity, for others, they are a nightmare. Over the past several months, I have had many conversations with people about what happens to a tenant when an owner loses the home. We have all heard the horror stories of people coming home to an eviction notice and the terrible situation it can put them through. The National Association of Realtors "supports programs to reduce the impact of foreclosure on communities." In fact, they have talked about tenants rights quite a bit this year. From a NAR article we learn:

Under the new law, which went into effect on May 20th, tenants will have to receive 90-days notice prior to being evicted, when their rental home is foreclosed upon. In addition, tenants must be allowed to stay in the property through the end of their lease, with two exceptions: * The new owner wants to occupy the property as a personal residence, and * There is no lease (month to month), or there is a lease but state law allows the lease to be terminated at any time upon notice.

Unfortunately, not all people are aware of their rights. The fact is, most people would prefer to be notified prior to a notice being served.

After my friend Jeff called recently to ask me to look into a potential foreclosure situation for a friend of his, I called my friend, Bill Risser and also decided to meet with the guys at LemonLandlord.com to learn more about their service. Take a look at this video. If you have any questions... " Just Call Nick!"

You can also follow Bill on Twitter and follow along with Lemon Landlord there, as well.

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Enjoy Tempe Oktoberfest this weekend!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:14:09 -0500

Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake is this weekend! With the weather looking good and the huge list of fun things being offered, who could say no?

The Tempe Oktoberfest will be held Friday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 4th at Tempe Town Lake. Of course, the easiest way to get to all of the cool events at Town Lake ( in our opinion) is for you to take the light rail to 3rd Street and Mill. The FREE light rail park and ride lots make the trip very convenient.

This year’s event looks to have something for everyone. There will be a ton of kid-friendly activities with Kinderfest at Oktoberfest* along with non-stop music and entertainment for all. In fact, this year’s music lineup is being billed as their “best ever” with “20 bands on 4 stages.”

Other features and “Fest Facts” for the Oktoberfest include:

Six Beer Gardens

Splash Park/Rock Wall

Bungee Jump

Six Beer Gardens

Bavarian Bakery

Carnival Rides

Six Beer Gardens

Two Wine Gardens

Non-Stop Polka (whatever that means)

Six Beer Gardens

FREE admission is always good, too.

The Tempe Oktoberfest will be held:

Friday 10/2/09 from 5pm – midnight

Saturday 10/3/09 from 10am – midnight

Sunday 10/4/09 from 10am - 6pm

If you want to save a few bucks, “special family pricing allows for the purchase of 25 food / activity tickets for just $20.00 during the following hours: Friday: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Saturday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm and Sunday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm.” ( normally, tickets are $1.00 each )

Flickr photo by Mark Briola

*Kinderfest hours are slightly different than the rest of the event. Please see their web site for details.

Tempe Town Lake is located at the North end of the Mill Avenue district and is home to all kinds of cool events, festivals and concerts year round. If you want to keep up on some of the fun things to do in and around the Mill Avenue and Lake district, follow along by reading the Rail Life Blog.

Have a great weekend!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Mortgage Delinquencies - The Coming Storm

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:03:26 -0500

Wow... This is some hard hitting information about mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. Take a look at these charts.

Via Jeff Geoghan MBA - Lancaster PA Real Estate Expert (The Jeff Geoghan Realty Group, Coldwell Banker Lancaster PA):

This is one of those posts where I wish I didn't have to write it, but felt it was so important to my readers that I would be remiss not to at least talk about it.

Everyone out there probably knows somebody who is behind on their mortgage payments, looking for alternatives and likely also just finding out that their home's value has dipped below what their loan amount is. I know some within my own personal circles. It's a tough situation for me to advise them as a professional because it's such a personal challenge to their pride and self-worth, not to mention their plans and dreams for the family. The question we're asking is "when is this going to stop and where are we heading?"

I'm going to put up a few graphs that show the trends nationally with regards to mortgage delinquincies:

This chart is by quarter - Single-family mortgages set a new record delinquency rate in the second quarter of 2009, according to a quarterly survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association. Those of us in the real estate business see the foreclosure process (just visit the local Sheriff Sale docket to see the current numbers) but the looming delinqency-to-foreclosure issue is far, far larger.

The Wall Street Journal on 8/3/09 reported the following quote: “While subprime mortgages sparked the first round of housing problems two years ago, now "troubles are lurking further up the food chain," says Joshua Shapiro, chief U.S. economist at MFR Inc. White-collar job losses have accelerated while more adjustable-rate loans to prime borrowers are resetting to higher payments. ‘You put all that together, it leads me to believe that the next leg down on home prices is going to come from the top,’ he says.”

The first objection someone may have would be to say "yes, but historically those who are delinqent usually get their act together and come current on the mortgage after a while". That WAS true, but not anymore! We call that the "Cure Rate", that is the rate of delinquencies that go back to current. The Wall Street Journal reported on 8/24/09 about a Fitch analysis that found that the Cure Rate from 2000-2006 was 45% (which means about half of people fix their delinquency). However, as of July 2009 the rate had dropped to just 6.6%! That means that over 90% of delinquent customers are going to foreclosure. Take a look again at the above chart...

The next thing someone will say is "well, that's the 'sand states' and not my area". Here's the chart for all 50 states showing the same breakdown of delinquencies and foreclosures. Guess what - most states have a significant problem, especially compared to historical figures.

Now the next thing someone may say is "aren't those loans going to get 'fixed' by a loan modification?" I know several people right now who are applying for a Lancaster County loan modification but are waiting and waiting. I hope it works out for them...

In reality, loan modifications are hardly making a dent. To me, that's a burning question. Why arent banks being more aggressive in giving customers the option to extend their loan and/or reset to a lower rate? Why are they being SO difficult? The people I know don't want to be foreclosed. They CAN make payments. They just need the terms redrawn to allow them to catch & keep up. Loan modifications are not helping us get this crisis under control.

What are the causes of all these delinquencies? Here's a chart that is enlightening:

We hear a lot about adjustable rate mortgages being the culprit, but the reality is that it's the loss of jobs and the tanking real estate market that's the perfect storm. See my previous post on unemployment in the nation, the state and Lancaster County.

Keep in mind, this post is not intended to give us "good news". You may be experiencing good things in your market and that's great. My intent is to get us thinking about the challenges that aren't going away and how we're going to address them as homeowners, agents and professionals. I'd love to hear your ideas!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

I Need Your Help. Your Reward? Great Blogs With Great Info. REBlogworld/Blogworld Expo In Las Vegas!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:25:01 -0500

Fortunately, I already have my tickets and hotel arrangements for REBlogworld. In fact, I suggest anyone even remotely related to the real estate business should do the same. When I saw that was Matt asking for help to get to REBlogworld in Las Vegas, I thought it was a great idea. Heck, if you are an agent, lender, title rep, home warranty vendor etc. you really should be doing all you can do to find a way to go.

Why go?

To get some great information on blogging and social media.

To learn some of the most innovative ways to improve your online presence.

To hear some amazing speakers.

To hang out with some really cool people.

Read Matt's post below and help him get there. More importantly, do YOURSELF a favor and get to REBlogWorld in Las Vegas...

Via Matt Stigliano (RE/MAX Access):

photo courtesy of nodomain1

I love blogging.

You may have noticed before, but it's a fact, I love to blog about real estate. It's good for my business, but I actually find it enjoyable too. In that vein, I would like to make it to this year's Blogworld and New Media Expo (including REBlogworld). Of course, these things cost money and there are expenses...blah blah blah. However, Alltop is sponsoring a contest to allow 3 lucky winners to attend this year's event.

I entered, but I need your help. First of all, I misread a rule, which has seriously put me behind the curve. I thought I was doing okay, but realized that the rule was rather specific and I needed to get moving - so I turn to you, the ActiveRain community for help.

The grand prize for the contest is entrance to the conference as well as hotel accommodations. With those two paid for, I can deal with the flights and food for the three days. I need to win this. Imagine how many blogs I'll churn out when I get back with all the new info I've acquired. Think of me as your Blogworld corespondent. I will report back to you - all you have to do is get me to the top! I don't know what it will take to get me there (I don't even know who's in the lead), but with the power of the ActiveRain and Twitter community, I'm willing to bet (Las Vegas - get it?) that I can win this!

Imagine how this will benefit the ActiveRain community as well! Having the power of 160K+ members pushing to help me accomplish this goal will certainly make people think that ActiveRain is the place to be.

Here's what I need:

First, reblog this post if you can. By spreading the word, there will be more opportunity for more people to act upon it. Put it in every category you can think of and make sure everyone of ActiveRain's members see it! I could care less about the points gained from the reblogs, so ActiveRain can pull the points - this is about getting me to Blogworld and REBlogworld.

Second, you need to retweet the information necessary in order for me to be counted. Visit MyAlltop page and at the bottom you will see a "retweet" button:

Click the retweet button. Click it whenever you have a few free seconds. Tell your friends to click it. Please don't sit there and click it 100 times in a row. I don't want to get the boot for "stuffing the ballot box." The contest ends at 8:00 am Pacific Time on October 1, 2009, so I need your clicks up until then. Let's get as many as we can and show everyone the power of ActiveRain, get me to Vegas, and let me bring back and share all that I have learned!

Please use the retweet button and have everyone you know retweet it too! This would be huge for me and I appreciate all the help I can get!
All content ©2008-2009 by Matt Stigliano, Realtor® unless otherwise noted.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor®

RE/MAX Access

(210) 646-HOME

www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

AZ Real Estate Agents - Sign Here!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:16:43 -0500

I have mentioned it before, but I LOVE DocuSign for electronic signatures. Talk about a great product for our real estate business - it just can't be beat. In fact, I have also mentioned that DocuSign is so cool, even my mother-in-law loves it. :-)

Another thing I love is networking and yes, "social-networking" is a great way to network with clients, business professionals and the media.

Over the past couple of months, I have enjoyed "meeting" An Bui from Docusign. Actually, An and I have never met in person, we have met on-line, mainly through her DocuSign Twitter updates. When I heard that An would be coming to town and that I would have a chance to meet her, I thought, "how cool is that!"

Of course, our good friend, Calie Waterhouse, has her party planning hat on and has offered to help put together a "Tweet, Meet & Greet" for this Wednesday, September 9th at the Depot Cantina in Tempe.

From Calie's blog post about the event, we get the scoop...

"An's Tweet, Meet & Greet is open to all locals (and twits), however, we do need you to RSVP and let us know you're coming (via the Facebook link below). Feel free to help us spread the word, as well. A quick blog post would be radisome (radial + awesome). Please be sure to include these links:

Facebook Event Invitation: http://bit.ly/AnDoc

DocuSign blog: http://docusign.com/blog

DocuSign on Twitter: http://twitter.com/docusign

An's personal blog: http://anwith1n.com

An on Twitter: http://twitter.com/anwith1n"

So, I am looking forward to meeting An and hope to see YOU at the Depot Cantina in Tempe this Wednesday at 5:00pm until ??. The Depot is just West of Mill Avenue at 300 S Ash Ave Tempe, AZ 85281 near the Mill Avenue District.

** Please note: All are welcome to join us! ( not just real estate "geeks!" ) **

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Innovation Happens At REBlogWorld In Las Vegas!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:42:43 -0500

Here at Active Rain, I'm sure many of you know that REBlogWorld is coming to Las Vegas in October. In my opinion, this conference is a GREAT opportunity for anyone that blogs to get the most up-to-date information on how blogging and social media is changing the way people search for information. While I love attending all types of real estate related blogging and social media events, I firmly believe that REBlogWorld is the most valuable conference of the year.

At last year's REBlogWorld and BlogWorld Expo, I learned a TON of valuable information from not only some of the best real estate bloggers in the business, but from many people outside of our industry from all over the globe. Combining these two conferences is an amazing opportunity for all of us to further "reach outside of the box" to learn from our peers, as well as, seeing how other industries are using these tools to help grow their online presence.

In Phoenix, we like to think we are the “blogging epicenter of the world.” While some areas might dispute that fact, we really do have many talented bloggers. Recently, I had lunch with my friend Jay Thompson of the world famous Phoenix Real Estate Guy blog. Jay recently won the award for “most Innovative Blog” at the 2009 Inman Connect real estate conference, so I wanted to ask him his thoughts on the upcoming REBlogWorld Conference in Las Vegas. Without a doubt, this conference has an amazing lineup of speakers for us to learn from, along with an entire weekend of real estate and NON real estate related information. From beginning bloggers to top notch experts, this is going to be a great place to learn from some of the best minds in the business. No matter what type of blogging you do now, REBlogWorld will be time well spent. Have a listen to a guy that knows a thing or two about blogging. When in Vegas, make sure to stop by and say “hi” to either one of us. And, don’t forget to bring a friend…

Check out REBlogWorld on Facebook and follow REBlogWorld on Twitter!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

It's a party at a ball park and YOU are invited!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:22:38 -0500

If you know me, you know that I love hanging out with family and friends. If you are family or consider me your friend, I would love to invite you to a fun Friday night at Chase field!Heck, even if we aren't friends yet, I hope you will join us.

RailLife.com and I are teaming up with a bunch of friends in the "Night Rail" spirit for a great time on Friday, September 18th. We have prime seats in the very cool Diamond Level at a discounted rate of just $20.00 to watch the Dbacks vs the Rockies at 6:40 pm. It’s the perfect venue for all of us to get together and have some fun.

Here’s the scoop…

Game: D-backs vs Rockies, Friday September 18^th @ 6:40pm

Simple process to purchase tickets:

1. Click on the following link: www.dbacks.com/groups

2. Log in with the following information:

sign-in ID – rail

password – life

Special discount ticket option includes:

$20 (reg. $30) in the Miller Lite Diamond Club

The Miller Lite Diamond Club is an upscale club located in right field on the main concourse level at Chase Field. It is a PERFECT place for a bunch of people to hang out. No assigned seats, special lounge seating throughout the entire location, full service bar (cash bar), pool tables, and HD TV’s make for a great night where will have some of the best seats in the house. Plenty of standing / mingling is possible in the Diamond Club with it’s cool lounge style seating.

We’ll be joined by many of the ultra-cool Friday Night crews as well as friends from AZ Hardball, The Social Latte, CenPho.tv, The Downtown Phoenix Journal and others. I’m sure people will have plenty of ideas about other fun things to do after the game, should anyone be so inclined! :-)

Yes... Everyone is invited. This section is perfect for having fun with friends. Agents, mortgage professionals, people we know and don't know are invited. Use this as an excuse to invite friends to watch a game and have some FUN. No sales pitches, just a good time with hot-dogs, baseball and probably even apple pie.

Remember: To purchase tickets for the game, just visit www.dbacks.com/groups and use the sign-in ID of rail and the password - life. You will get the discounted price of $20.00.

See ya there!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

REBlogWorld is coming! The BEST deal is almost gone!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:54:41 -0500

People say that it's not always what you know but it's who you know that can make the difference. Well, Real Estate bloggers have a GREAT opportunity to meet and learn from from some seriously talented people at REBlogWorld at the Las Vegas Convention Center October 15th - 17th 2009. The real estate part of the BlowWorld Expo promises to provide some amazing content from some of the top real estate bloggers and best minds in our business. The "who's who" list of speakers and attendees promises to make this a "can't miss" event whether you are a beginner, ultra-advanced blogger or social-media "geek". Come hear and learn from some of my favorites like:

Heather Elias - LoCo Musings. She is wicked smart and does an amazing job on multiple blogs. Clients LOVE her!

Rhonda Porter - The Mortgage Porter. She rocks the mortgage world with her blog!

Matt Fagioli - Blogger, social media junkie, RETechSouth guru - Matt knows and does it all!

Jim Marks - Amazingly talented, equally humble One of the smartest guys in the re.net!

Rob Hahn - Marketing, Technology and Real Estate. Rob is the real deal. Learn all you can from this guy!

Jay Thompson - The Phoenix Real Estate Guy. One of the best known and well respected real estate blogs on the planet!

Reggie Nicolay Cyberhomes Social Media Expert. - An amazing social media background with serious know how!

Ricardo Bueno - aka "Ribeezie." - Social media is his life, he shares it well! Get to know this guy...

Dan Green - The Mortgage Reports. Dan is the gold standard in big time mortgage blogging.

Dave Smith Tucson Real Estae Blog - Another guy you need to meet. Dave "gets it" and you will, too.

Jeff Turner - Yes, "The Jeff Turner." - Active Rain's most beloved blogger. (ask me where I heard that!) Jeff is one of the best presenters in the business. If you have never met Jeff, it would easily be worth the price of the conference!

If you act fast, like, really fast, you can purchase an "all access pass" for less than $500.00 which allows you to attend the entire conference, private parties, be fed all three days and get a TON of great knowledge from some serious re.net rock stars along with professional bloggers from all over the world. Think about it. Where else can you attend a world class conference for less than $500.00. I don't want to hear the "economy" thing, because, let's face it, if you are in the business now, you are ready and prepared to reap the benefits of your chosen CAREER. Of course, there are different packages available and you could choose to attend one day of REBlogWorld for just a hundrd bucks. Check out these options...

Package 1 REBlogWorld Only: $100 until August 15th, 2009. This is a 1 day pass for the REBlogWorld Conference only. It does not include any other sessions, expo, parties, etc. The Registration code: REB1

Package 2 REBlogWorld + BlogWorld Weekend Pass: $400 until August 15th, 2009. This is a pass for both REBlogWorld Conference & BlogWorld New Media Conference. It includes all sessions but executive business tracks on October 16th & October 17th, 2009. It includes the expo, parties, & lunch on October 15th, 2009 during the REBlogWorld Conference. The Registration code: REBWP1

Package 3 REBlogWorld + BlogWorld Weekend Pass: $480 until August 15th, 2009. This is a pass for both REBlogWorld Conference & BlogWorld New Media Conference. It includes full access to the entire conference program October 15th – October 17th, 2009. It includes the expo, parties, & breakfast/lunch/snacks throughout the entire conference. This is the only pass that includes the Social Media Business Summit sessions on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Registration code: REBFA1

They say that conferences like this spur great ideas and that much of the best information is learned "in the hallways." There really is nothing like being there and talking to these people. I have been fortunate to attend REBarCamps, Inman Connect and REBlogWorld in the past and have had opportunities to learn so much. Hopefully, I'll get to meet you in Las Vegas this year!

Be sure to follow REBlogWorld on Twitter. Shameless plug here... I have added a widget on my blog with Twitter mentions of REBlogWorld. Check it out. :-)

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Phoenix Light Rail Riders joining forces for Night Rail

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:26:54 -0500

Recently, the Metro Light Rail board of directors voted to extend the weekend hours of light rail in Arizona on Friday and Saturday nights. This extension allows Phoenix light Rail riders to ride until after 2am on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Given the fact that the extension is said to be implemented on a "trial period" of one year, a group of people have decided to help with an awareness campaign for the newly appointed hours.

Enter "Night Rail" which is being held tonight, 7/31! From the Rail Life blog we see that...

"If you are a fan of the extended light rail hours, a friend of business owners along the line or just a fan of having fun, join us for Night Rail. Several groups will be getting together along the line throughout the evening and then meeting at the Roosevelt Station at midnight to show support for the extended hours. After midnight, we will head to a couple of nearby places before calling it a night. You can join our friends at “Light Rail Friday Night” who will be meeting at Rula Bula on Mill from 6-9 pm. After that, people will be meeting (10:00 pm) at Monti’s and at Maizie’s, which is just south of the light rail station at Central and Camelback."

The response from the Night Rail blog post has been great with many local groups picking up and showing their support. A few examples of blog posts and media interest are...

CenPhoTV is promoting it a ton!

AZCentral picked up the Night Rail story

Urban Affair Media Advisory

The Downtown Phoenix Journal

A cool Yelp mention

The Phoenix Cycle Chick blog is rockin' Night Rail

Heck, even radio coverage for Night Rail

So, if you want to have some fun, Light Rail style, be sure to check out this first Night Rail event!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Tempe TweetUp - A great networking opportunity

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:03:44 -0500

Most people know, the world is a Twitter. This social networking platform has MANY uses for many types of people. The effectiveness of it's use depends on the effectiveness of the person sending the "tweets." Of course, there is worthless dribble on Twitter but there is also a TON of breaking news, community specific information and opportunities to communicate with people you may have never had the opportunity to meet "in person."

I am really looking forward to this Wednesday's TweetUp in Tempe at the Sign of the Whale. Why? Because I know it will be a FUN time and a great chance to network with some really talented Tempe business owners. This TweetUp is being promoted by Jack Smith of The Social Latte which is a great resource for anyone interested in Social Media. As a Tempe resident, Jack really has a good feel for our community and is always looking to give back, help small business owners and have some fun. Jack and I worked together on helping the Tempe Chamber of Commerce implement social media as a business strategy. The Tempe Chamber is a great Chamber of Commerce and some of their members will be joining us as well. People like Nick Miner, a commercial real estate broker that I have enjoyed meeting at other Chamber events. The guy knows Tempe! I believe Joan Jakel, a very talented Tempe business attorney, past "Business Woman of the year," personal friend and all around great gal will be joining us as well as a bunch of other really cool people.

From the invite we hear... "We'll have a private room with Happy Hour pricing from 5-7 for networking and socializing and then I'll be bartender from 7p - 10p with DJ Mike..." More info on the twtvite page!

All are welcome! So, come see "Jack the bartender," have some fun, hang out with some really cool "Tweeps" and write it off as a business expense! Ok, scratch the business expense thing because I'm not your accountant or a CPA so, just come have fun!

When: July 8th

Where: Sign of the Whale 1706 E Warner Rd Tempe, AZ

Happy Hour and networking, 5-7pm - DJ and heckling of Jack while tending bar... 7-10pm.

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Camelot Village celebrates the 4th of July!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:34:16 -0500

Tempe Arizona has a ton of great communities and offers many different types of housing options. Camelot Village in South Tempe is a place where neighbors know your name and the sense of community is alive year round.

The annual Camelot Village 4th of July parade and picnic is what the 4th of July is all about. Neighbors gather and have their own parade through the subdivision with flags a flyin' and horns a blowin.' The Tempe Fire Department sends a truck for the morning festivities as well. Kids of all ages enjoy a good old fashioned celebration which ends up at Stroud Park where the grill is fired up, neighborhood businesses pitch in to offer raffle prizes and everyone has a chance to relax and have a good time. Stroud Park is located just East of McClintock Drive and just South of Guadalupe Road. The 101 Freeway is to the East providing residents easy access to the entire valley.

The parade starts at 9:00am and is a perfect start to the day. Afternoons can be spent by the pool and the evening can be spent watching the amazing Tempe Fireworks show at Town Lake.

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

New startup Timu officially launches

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:03:16 -0500

Most of my friends know that I am a huge sports fan and that I "sort of" like the way social networks can help people reach large audiences of people. I think the new site that our friend Matt has developed is a really cool idea. I was fortunate enough to get to hear a little bit about it at a real estate conference that I attended last year with Matt and I can tell you, the guy knows his stuff. If you have kids that are involved with sports, this is a great way to communicate with everyone involved. I know there are other applications but, you will have to check it out for yourself.

Have fun!

Via Matt Heaton (Timu Corp - CEO, ActiveRain - Co-founder):

Yesterday was a big day for me, after 8 months of planning and product development work finally launched my new startup, Timu. Timu gave me a chance to apply many of the lessons learned with designing and building ActiveRain to another market, amateur sports.

It's a social networking platform specifically built to solve the communications problems encountered by athletes, sports teams and their fans. Online social networking is a natural way to solve many of these problems. Yet, existing social networks provide disjointed solutions that do not handle sports specific features, such as player rosters, game results and statistics. At the same time existing sports web site offerings provide little interactivity and user engagement.

Individual athletes can setup an profile on Timu in minutes. Profiles can be customized with information about the sports they participate in, teams they play on, and their competitive highlights. Photos, videos can be uploaded, and various “widgets” can be added or modified. These profiles serve as one center of communication within Timu.

Coaches, players, or parents can create a team center for your team on Timu. Team centers provide many features like team news, schedules, player rosters, photos, game results, statistics, statistics and a wide range of commmunication tools. All of the people associated with the team can be invited to become members of the team center, which can then function as a hub for team communications.

A few examples of team centers: http://bellevueblaze.timu.com http://dreadsox.timu.com http://baseball.timu.com

Currently Timu supports about 30 different sports ranging from baseball and soccer to unicycling. Each of these sports has it’s own section or hub on Timu including photos, videos, game results and discussions. Timu members can participate in the conversation at these hubs about their sport. As Timu grows we will be providing the ability to view these hubs by region, subsection of a sport, or even by sporting venue.

Create a Sports Profile

Setup your Team on Timu

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

FREE Cinco De Mayo VIP pass and t-shirt from Depot Cantina and RailLife.com

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:21:27 -0500

Tempe's Depot Cantina is THE place to be for Cinco De Mayo again this year. Live music, tons of specials and the most fun along the light rail line that the 5th of May has ever seen!

Rail Life is having a contest to win a FREE VIP pass and a Cinco De Mayo t-shirt. Join the Rail Life crew, our friends and the Depot staff as we sport the coolest Cinco De Mayo shirts in town. All you have to do to enter to win is leave a comment on their blog. <-- The Depot Cantina "VIP" Party Pass includes cover charge, 4 drinks and a taco platter($5.00 cover charge begins at 3pm.) Rail Life will draw from the list of comments on Monday at 6:00 PM. The winner will be notified by email Monday evening.

The Depot's doors open at 10am with 13 hours of live music beginning at 11am. Bands include:

2 Tone Lizard Kings
Tyme Will Tell
Silver Medallion
Katastro
Claybyrds

Getting to Macayo's Depot Cantina is easy! Just jump on the light rail and head to the Mill Avenue district. Exit at the 3rd / Mill light rail station and head west one block to the Depot. If you have never ridden the light rail before, be sure to purchase a light rail pass prior to boarding! Currently, an all day pass is just $2.50.

The place is sure to be packed, so take advantage of a park and ride lot and look for the Rail Life banner out front and inside the patio where we will be hanging out!

Tempe is a great community with a ton of fun things to do... Have fun, stay safe and enjoy the lifestyle!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

ReBarCamp is coming to Phoenix!

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:07:06 -0500

REBarCamp Phoenix is not like any traditional conference most people have ever been to. In fact, it is billed as an "un-conference" where the agenda is created by the attendees the day of the event.

REBarCamp is FREE and will be held April 23rd at Scottsdale Stadium which is centrally located at 7408 E. Osborn Road (Northeast corner of Osborn and Drinkwater) Scottsdale, AZ 85251. This beautiful venue is a perfect setting where we have over 4000 square feet of available meeting space. "Breakout" sessions will be held in several different rooms where topics can range from:

Social networking - what and why...
Blogging (basic to advanced)
Google Adwords / Pay-Per-Click
Using Twitter effectively
SEO strategies
Podcasting and video blogging
Link building and the power of inbound links
Analytics (understanding where your traffic comes from)
Blog and web site platforms
Marketing with Statistics
Baby steps, where and how to get started
Paperless transactions and mobile technologies

Over the past couple of years, I have met some really great people from the "re.net" and have learned a lot from them. Having attended the very first Real Estate BarCamp in San Francisco and another recently in Seattle, I can tell you this format is an amazing way to connect with people who really know technology and social media, and it is a great way to learn in an open, hands-on environment.

Who should attend? ANYONE in the real estate, mortgage, title or affiliated businesses, people with an interest in technology and social media, business owners, etc, etc.

Why attend? It's fun, FREE and educational. Yes, it's FREE to learn from some of the best in the business.

Who's coming? Our list of attendees is quite impressive and includes some of the best agents and bloggers in the valley. Heck, Russell Shaw and his fantastic real estate "mojo" will be in attendance. We are talking about selling chances to "fire him" to raise money for a local charity. :-) In addition to some seriously talented locals, we have a lot of really amazing people coming from all over the country. If you are an Active Rain user, don't miss The "X-Broker" and the newest additions to their crew in the world famous Dustin Luther and Jim Marks! While Active Rain is a great supporter of BarCamps, it is their community that can help rock these events. Some *really* fun people I know or have met via this network are coming from other states to join us. People like, Lisa Heindel, Amanda Hall and Elaine Hanson are coming to see if Paul Slaybaugh is as crazy "IRL" as he is in cyberspace. (they ain't seen nothin' yet!) Kristal Kraft, Chris Griffith and Ginger Wilcox are a few more that will join us as well! (sorry, I can't list em' all)

Our sponsors: BarCamps are free to attend but NOT free to put on. There is a TON of work that goes in to pulling this off and we are fortunate to have a great team of organizers working with some amazing sponsors to make this all happen. Our current list of sponsors is as follows. (BIG thanks to all of them!)

PhoenixPowerSearch.com

AtHomeInScottsdale.com

Center for REALTOR Technology

Argent Décor

Arizona Mortgage Team

Norma's Rug Cleaning

Arizona Regional MLS

redPear

John Hall & Associates

DocuSign

Security Title Agency

The Wise Agent

HomeSmart

Lawyers Title

Solutions Real Estate

Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors

First American Title

Arizona Association of Realtors

Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau

Phoenix Association of Realtors

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate

Real Estate from A to Z Radio Show

The Phoenix BarCamp planning team consists of; Jay Thompson, Nick Bastian, Calie Waterhouse, D. Patrick Lewis, Dean Ouellette, Steve Belt, Justin McHood, Candace Robinson, Shar Rundio, Phil Sexton, Mark Eckenrode, Dru Bloomfield

If you want to learn more about BarCamps, I am enclosing links to some blog posts where others share some great information.

Jay Thompson from the Phoenix Real Estate Guy blog.

Steve Belt wrote, "You don't want to miss it."

John Hall & Associates wrote about BarCamp,

Remarkable Media and Marketing gives an explanation:

Justin McHood explains who should attend.

Our friends at Dakno Marketing made this really cool map of where BarCamps are being held.

Last, but not least (I could go on for far too long) my friend, Stacey Harmon describes some Los Angeles BarCamp thoughts.

To read comments from some cool people from the re.net world, check out the responses from my BarCamp post on the Rail Life blog.<--- You won't get 25 points from commenting there like you do on Active Rain but you can see what some cool people like Jeff Turner, Ines at Miamism.com and Joe Ferrara from Sellsius think about these types of events. You can also see the "theme song" for REBarCamp Phoenix as written by Phil Sexton. (see comment #12 on the Rail Life post) Phil has promised to do a live version at BarCamp which is sure to be worth the price of admission!

Please feel free to join all of us at this fun event! Your RSVP is greatly appreciated!

All work and no play? No way! Since BarCamp is Thursday and Technopalooza is Wednesday, it is easy to get a feeling of drinking from a fire hose of information. No fear, we have TWO very fun events scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday nights where some great networking will occur. First up is a "pearing" which will be"socializing, mixing and networking" the night before BarCamp sponsored by redPear! The following night, after BarCamp, we will have "PhxAfterBar" sponsored by PhoenixPowerSearch.com at Salty Senorita. (drawings for door prizes etc!) Check the site for details!

Don't forget to go see the awesome Real Estate BarCamp Theme Song and Music Video that Daniel Rothamel put together. It is one of the best yet!

I hope to see you Thursday at Camp!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Real Estate Technopalooza coming to Mesa Convention Center

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:23:40 -0500

Arizona real estate professionals looking to take their business in a whole new direction are in luck. ARMLS 2009 Technopalooza is coming soon to the Mesa Convention Center! The event is followed by REBarCamp at Scottsdale Stadium on the 23rd which means, you have AMPLE opportunity to learn more about blogging, social media and new, exciting ways to reach larger audiences of people than ever before.

What the heck is an ARMLS Technopalooza? Simply put, it is a technology fair for ARMLS subscribers!

Said Calie Caterhouse of John Hall & Associates, The Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service is really going all out this year planning this extravaganza that marries technology and real estate. Most of us involved in social media are already acutely aware of this union, but it's nice to see it in print from someone of "higher authority".

So - if you're in Arizona and in real estate - you'll want to mark your calendar and plan on attending this day long event. Dustin Luther is a featured speaker with his presentation titled "Using Social Networks to Build and Engage your on-line Community". Sounds too good to pass up.

Also schedule to speak is Jason Edwards who is a Master Trainer with Floyd Blackman. Jason will be speaking on "Blog is the New Black: Converting on-line Blogging to Real Life Appointments"

Technopalooza
April 22, 2009
8:30 to 3:45

Mesa Convention Center
263 North Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85211

Events Schedule

8:30 Continental Breakfast

9:00        "Using Social Networks to Build & Engage Your On-line Community"
                           Dustin Luther- frequent presenter at Inman Real Estate & NAR

10:30      Exhibitor Showcase Time
                Exhibitor Booths will be open from 8:30 to 4:00.
                Exhibitor Showcase times are scheduled to avoid conflicting events.

11:00      ARMLS Specialty Classes:
                            New ARMLS Rules and Regs
                            Portal to Your Future for More Business
                            Creating a Compelling CMA
                            The Cromford Report

12:00          Lunch & Learn Agent Technology Panel
                    Lunch tickets $15 - email events@armls.com for tickets
                          Nick Bastian - 17 yr career REALTOR® & founder of raillife.com
                         Jay Thompson- Inman News: one of "Most Influential Real Estate Bloggers" 2008
                          Dru Bloomfield- focuses on FlickR and Twitter to build Sphere of Influence
                          Jonathan Dalton- reporter & freelance writer turned REALTOR and blogger
                          Dustin Luther - from 4realz.net - Moderator

1:00            Exhibitor Showcase Time
                    Exhibitor Booths will be open from 8:30 to 4:00.
                    Exhibitor Showcase times are scheduled to avoid conflicting events.

1:30            Blog is the New Black: Converting On-line Blogging Activity into Real Life Appointments"
                            Jason Edwards- Master Trainer for Floyd Wickman

3:00            Exhibitor Showcase Time & Ice Cream Social
                    Exhibitor Booths will be open from 8:30 to 4:00.
                    Exhibitor Showcase times are scheduled to avoid conflicting events.

Electronics Recycling by E-Waster Harvesterswill be on site from 8am to 4pm to collect old computers, monitors, printers, laptops, cell phones PDAs, servers and mainframes. Just drive up to drop off!

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Mesa Light Rail Expansion Plans

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:35:19 -0500

Light rail expansion plans have been quite the topic of discussion lately due to reports in the paper and because of a Mesa city council presentation where Metro recommended the extension of light rail down Main Street in Mesa. The route appears to make a lot of sense to Metro and to the council, as the questions and comments at the presentation appeared to favor an extension along Main Street. Many of the reasons to favor the plan have to do with demand, development and potential for growth. The high cost of light rail was analyzed against other options and is thought to be superior in long term costs and return to the community, by moving more people and creating economic development opportunities in the region.

There has been a great deal of study and analysis on three different routes for light rail expansion in Mesa, as well as bus and rapid bus along the same corridor. Several months ago, discussion centered around Mesa expansion, costs and parking questions, and the feeling was (in my opinion) that Main Street made a lot of sense. Some new options have been made since then, with one ending the line just east of Mesa Drive at Lesueur Street, instead of at Horne. Apparently, some opposition has come up near the Horne area due to parking challenges and neighborhood concerns. For those familiar with Main Street in Mesa, Lesueur is directly west of Pioneer Park on the north side of Main with the mormon Temple on the south side of the street. Currently, there is vacant land at the NW and at the SW corner of Lesueur and Main where they could add a small park and ride structure. This park and ride lot could be closed or re-developed if a new park and ride lot is built after future extensions are added.

There are some neighborhoods nearby that would likely see some real change, and the proximity to Pioneer Park could bring a fun and interesting dynamic to the equation. Historic homes and small businesses near this area could benefit from the fixed mode of transportation that would run through downtown Mesa, where there have been revitilazation plans for as long as most of us can remember. Many are of the opinion that the direct route along Main is the best choice. With it's street-facing shops, Main could really thrive with these transit-oriented developments. Other benefits are the fact that less property would be needed if they go straight along Main, as opposed to heading to 1st Street or First Avenue before continuing east; and the fact that a direct route east on Main is faster, because of the time it takes to make the additional turns. If the goal is to get further east and to move people efficiently, then taking the tracks off of Main Street would be un-wise.

While funding is always a huge hurdle, it appears the current extension is a piece of the larger puzzle whereby the system can be extended to Gilbert Road and even serve the Gateway area in the distant future. This morning, I recall Mayor Scott Smith saying that it "opens up a whole new world if we get to Gilbert Road", and he went on to mention that the return on investment getting to Gilbert Road is significant. Plenty of talk surrounded the fact that billions of dollars in economic development have been attributed to light rail in Phoenix and Tempe via the initial 20 mile "starter line." Mesa, with just a mile of track, is looking to get some of those large economic development dollars to their city, which may seem odd to those that still think of Mesa as having a "small-town-mentality".

For now, no "official" decision has been made as to the light rail extension, but there is mention of a city council meeting on May 18 where a decision could be made.

Expansion plans are interesting in that, the entire line benefits from the "city within cities" mentality that is catching on here in the valley. These neighborhoods are changing and it is fun to watch. If you have any questions about the communities along the light rail line, please feel free to contact Nick Bastian - Realty Executives, Tempe AZ via the web or feel free to call us at 602-803-6425. You can also learn more about these communities and about the Phoenix Light Rail system by visiting the real estate section of RailLife.com.

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

Luxury homes near light rail

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:18:30 -0600

I realize that "luxury" homes, lofts, condos and high rise units mean different things to different people. For this post, I chose the $750,000 price range to begin my search of some really cool homes near light rail. Today, I looked at a search and found 59 homes priced at $750,000 and above available in this "city within cities" that we call the light rail corridor. The highest concentration is near Hayden Ferry in Tempe with several in Phoenix along Central Avenue ranging from gorgeous single family homes to luxurious high rise living.

Here is a partial breakdown of the data:

Active listings priced at or above $750k - 59

Avg, list price $1,173,036 (low, $759.9k - high $3.3 million)

Approximate square foot range: 2,609 sq ft. (low 791 high 5,537)

Average list price per approximate square foot: 504.14(low 188.68 high 1,078.38)

Cumulative days on market: Average 273 days (low 13 day high 924 days)

If you have any questions about the communities along the light rail line, please feel free to contact Nick Bastian - Realty Executives, Tempe AZ via the web or feel free to call us at 602-803-6425 or toll free at 1-888-343-6425. You can also learn more about these communities and about the Phoenix Light Rail system by visiting www.RailLife.com.

Here is an example of some of the cool homes at Hayden Ferry. Let me know if you would like a list of any others.

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)

NAR hires Todd Carpenter as new Social Media Manager

Nick Bastian - Tempe, AZ Real Estate Agent (Realty Executives) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:47:08 -0600

It has finally been announced that NAR's new social media manager is..... Todd Carpenter. After months of rumor and speculation, we now know who sits in the hot seat.

Many of us know the amazing job Todd has done with Lenderama and with REBlogWorld and have been impressed with the passion he has for social media.

NAR says " We loved Todd's ideas, his easygoing manner, his reputation and how knowledgeable he is about social media. We also really valued his relationships with so many REALTORS® who are using blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media channels to connect effectively with one another and with potential clients and customers."

This has the chance to really help with some of the current ideas NAR appears to have about social media. Many of us hope this hiring will be a great fit for all involved. I've had the opportunity to meet Todd a few times at different events and am confident he will bring a great perspective to this new position.

Now, I sincerely hope the NAR will show us here in Phoenix some REAL value and make sure Todd attends REBarCamp in Phoenix on April 23rd! It's his job!! :-)

Congrats to my friend.. We will be watching!

** Update: read Todd's first interview as Social Media Manager by our friend, Ginger Wilcox **

list of people in photo here via RailLife.com

Nick Bastian, Tempe AZ Real Estate agent.

Buying or Selling Real Estate?

"Just Call Nick!"

602-803-NICK (6425)