active rain: Confession of a Lapsed Rainer
- 04/25/14 02:29 AM
Sometimes we let our relationships, whether they be business or personal, perk along on autopilot with only the occasional "drip" of attention. It's always easy to find an excuse for our moments or months of neglect. Personally, I think I have a long list of plausible reasons I've neglected my business family at Active Rain. The first being I left my "Big Box" franchise real estate office and opened up a brand new start-up, Charlemagne International Properties, on January 1, 2014. Suddenly there were not enough hours in the day to make it through the ever-expanding list of things to do. … (40 comments)
active rain: Memories at ActiveRain - Go Extraordinary or Go Extinct
- 09/16/09 05:43 AM
It was the wonderful comments that made this June 2008 post one of my favorites: Are you an endangered species? You may be on the list and not even know it. Today's savvy agent is relying on technology, market knowledge and plain old survival tactics. Darwin knew what he was talking about, when he coined the phrase 'Survival of the Fittest' and it still holds true.How do you score on the real estate fitness test?1. Do you show up for work five days a week? Someone once said showing up is half the battle and it's true. A few months ago I … (17 comments)
active rain: If You're Losing Leads You're Being Careless With Your Future
- 06/15/09 06:03 AM
Have you ever written a phone number on a scrap of paper and later searched high and low for the missing paper and phone number? Perhaps you have a common friend and can track the missing number down with backtracking emails and calls. After all, a lost lead can cost your thousands of dollars. It also forfeits your opportunity to respond immediately and impress prospective clients with your great customer service. The biggest toll is the loss of time, and time really is money. That's the way business works. I've learned a few hard lessons over the years about the importance of … (50 comments)
active rain: Possessed Posters and the Point Plot
- 05/17/09 05:40 AM
I've always rather prided myself on the fact (yes, fully verified) I do not have an addictive personality. Nope, drugs and alcohol never snared me, not even in those hippy-dippy days of my youth. Smoking? I tried it, and I did inhale, but that was painful and tasted terrible. Definitely not for me. Gambling? No, never found a game I couldn't walk away from. Then along came this silly little thing called Active Rain. I heard about Active Rain months before I ever tried it. Maybe it was the slow market of November 2007, or maybe it was because my pipeline slowed to … (6 comments)
active rain: Sitting in a NYC Office on a Gray Manhattan Day He Discoverd My Outside Blog
- 05/08/09 08:53 AM
Okay, I'll be the first to admit I don't Google my name often enough, or read the daily Google Alert I set up months ago. Today my partner told me Relocation.com selected my outside blog Palos Verdes Lifestyle as one of the best real estate blogs in the Los Angeles area. The Best Real Estate Blogs in Los Angeles A few other bloggers from Active Rain made the LA A-list. Relocation.com is featuring the best bloggers from several major cities. Here's what they are looking for: "As readers of this feature know, I'm doing a virtual transverse of our nation's largest cities to … (10 comments)
active rain: A Most Unlikely Active Rain International Referral
- 04/30/09 10:37 AM
Yesterday I had a call from a person in New York City inquiring about the property I have listed in Egypt. I quickly surmised he was looking at my post Homes of Egypt on my Active Rain site. After I made a quick explanation that those photos were taken in Egypt on holiday, he asked me for assistance in locating an agent in Egypt to list a property owned by his family.
You never know who will find your blog or where it will generate business. I'm in contact with an agent in Egypt and we are working out the details. … (5 comments)
active rain: Are You Too Frugal With Your Comments?
- 04/27/09 11:49 PM
My posts are written with my audience in mind and an effort is made to make sure the content is valuable to my targeted readers. But let's be honest, those comments are a nice little immediate reward for my effort. Receiving no comments is akin to writing a great report back in your school days and having the teacher return it without a grade--not even a few red marks. A big fat zero is disheartening. Makes you wonder, "Did anyone even read this?" I'm conducting an experiment (at ProBlogger's urging) and today I'm going to leave a comment on every post I read--no exceptions. No more … (33 comments)
active rain: How To Be the Agent Everyone Wants and Needs - Norma Toering and Team REMAX Palos Verdes Realty
- 04/10/09 04:46 AM
Lay a strong foundation. It is difficult to stand strong if your foundation is weak. Set a high standard and live up to it, even in the difficult moments. Temptations abound. Shortcuts beckon. A base of honesty, loyalty, integrity and compassion will support and serve you well. Make a list of the characteristics you would like your best friend to possess. Be that friend to yourself and others. Be that agent to your clients. When tough times come, and come they will, your core values may be all you have to see you through a life storm.
Choose with care. … (5 comments)
active rain: The Power of Posting - Norma Toering REMAX Palos Verdes
- 04/04/09 06:08 AM
Blogging for business is why most of the Active Rain members are here, but the side benefits are perhaps even more powerful. To be honest, I did not feel the need to begin blogging when my son suggested it two years ago. I was too busy selling real estate to write stories about it on the Internet. I had lots of questions such as who would find my posts and how on earth would that help my business?
I have a closet full of tapes and books purchased to ignite my real estate career, and I've paid thousands of dollars to attend seminars from Buffini … (14 comments)
active rain: It Takes Hours of Labor to Give Birth to a Blog
- 03/29/09 04:44 PM
I am in awe of many of the bloggers I read on Active Rain. I admire the dedication, the regularity and the variety of topics covered. Who knew real estate could be so fascinating? I can count on many of my favorite writers to deliver day after day a thought provoking post filled with fresh content. That my friends, is a labor of love.
It takes courage to begin a blog and commitment to continue it. Consistency is key to building a loyal readership. I've learned a lot about blogging by reading the blogs of others. I learned much about my profession … (16 comments)
active rain: Active Rain and Weight Gain
- 03/16/09 12:40 PM
I decided not to go for a walk after work today. Instead, I'm blogging and checking in on other social medias--a moment or two on Facebook, a tweet here and there, before you know it an hour passes by. Balance can be a precarious thing.
I consider my time on Active Rain as marketing and lead generation time. I must admit it quickly became in integral part of my day. Today as I typed ads for corporate newspaper advertising I found myself wanting to add photos and upload the ad myself. Instead, it is sent to the receptionist who will send it … (14 comments)
active rain: Active Rain is the Putty of My Real Estate Mosaic Life - Norma Toering REMAX Palos Verdes
- 03/05/09 08:54 AM
No offense guys, but I just realized I use Active Rain to fill in the unscheduled moments of my real estate day. For instance, I am waiting for a client to call me with his counter offer terms; while I'm in this hurry up-and-wait mode, I wrote a quick post on local sales. I often sneak in a comment or two while waiting for a phone call to be returned or a client to show for a scheduled appointment. I have added my outside blog address to my flyers and marketing materials. I refer open house attendees to my blog and they … (5 comments)
I joined Twitter a few weeks ago, and although I'm still working on finding people and remembering to update it with some regularity, people are finding me. At first, I felt a little silly posting little snippets of my day, but I'm beginning to see the value in those little updates of what is happening and how I'm handling it. Actually, I think it is probably theraputic for us Type … (34 comments)
I wrote my first blog thirteen months ago and live and work in Los Angeles County---a county full of real estate agents and nearly 4,000 of them are on Active Rain! It was daunting to see point totals in the hundred thousand range and more than once I wondered if I was crazy to be blogging with such enthusiasm, especially since I had my share of 0 comments! My experience with quitting is limited, so I kept on posting and commenting. Soon open house attendees were mentioning things they read … (20 comments)
active rain: I Was Googled at my Open House
- 10/27/08 12:30 PM
They walked in, accepted the handout with a polite smile and proceeded through the property. Before leaving they asked a couple questions, then requested to leave their information with me. I'm sure he noticed my surprise at their request because he replied, "We liked you right away, so while we were in the backyard we Googled you." You guessed it, they found my blog and profile on Active Rain. These are smart people, and not any agent will do. They want to know they are working with an active agent, an experienced agent and a trustworthy agent. Sure, it takes time … (51 comments)
active rain: This is Dedicated to the One(s) I Love
- 10/02/08 05:17 AM
I'm talking about clients here. And yes, some are just so easy to love, and others, well, they take a little more work. But like every therapist worth their salt fee reminds us, any relationship worth having requires work. Sometimes we count on them, other times we're there for them. Just like the song says: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZo-ScF4Tl4 This song goes out with a big thank you to: Past Clients: You have generated the bulk of my business in 2008. Some of you purchased another property, others referred friends or family. Thank you. Open Houses: One of my current listings came indirectly from an open … (6 comments)
Actually, he mentioned it to me several times and I just nodded and thought sounds like a geek site, and like so many real estate ideas that come and go, I opted not to waste my time and energy. After the third time he told me about it, and because it was November and business was slowing down for the holidays, I thought what do I have to lose? I figured the next time my son brought it up I would nix it and … (12 comments)
active rain: What Do You Expect From Your Blog?
- 08/30/08 09:25 AM
Are you blogging on purpose? Does your blog have a central focus? Are you presenting your highest self through your writing? Or do you write about whatever is on your mind at the moment?
Recently I decided to categorize my blogs. I was surprised to notice I was addressing more posts to agents (members only) than I realized. Buyers also received a lot of attention and white space. Surprisingly, I was neglecting writing articles targeting sellers. Yes, it's true when we think "Internet Marketing" we think of buyers, but I've noticed more and more sellers refer to "prelisting research" they have … (9 comments)
active rain: Go Extraordinary or Go Extinct
- 06/16/08 05:41 AM
Are you an endangered species? You may be on the list and not even know it. Today's savvy agent is relying on technology, market knowledge and plain old survival tactics. Darwin knew what he was talking about, when he coined the phrase 'Survival of the Fittest' and it still holds true.How do you score on the real estate fitness test?1. Do you show up for work five days a week? Someone once said showing up is half the battle and it's true. A few months ago I had a 'drop in' at my office. In the course of the conversation he … (36 comments)
Last week my real estate career reminded me of a trip to Vegas. It started out with much promise and anticipation that did not come to fruition on Friday, but my gambling habit at the Active Rain Casino is saving me big bucks, and it is more fun than any online game!
I'm working with several people from my Sphere of Influence, and their recent calls to me reminded me of the importance of working that dependable SOI. I even sent a letter to my clients last week thanking them for their business. I also tucked my blog address in and … (24 comments)
I am a California real estate Broker-owner. Tune in for Best Buys in Palos Verdes; Market Updates; Buy & Sell Signals; Advice to Buyers & Sellers and other real estate related topics of interest. Updates will be posted on all four cities on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, PV School District and other happenings on The Hill.
South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
;)
;)
;)
