Ten Biggest Mistakes and How to Avoid Them - Part 2 - 09/25/08 04:10 PM
 

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention saves a pound of cure. Consider this article, in two-part, your prevention formula. Just watch for and avoid the following ten frequent real estate agent mistakes to steer clear of trouble and success-eroding errors.  Here, in Part 2, I will cover the second five.
Making Yourself Available to Prospects and Clients 24-7The most respected professionals are not available to their clients round-the-clock. They set normal professional work hours, they conduct business in their offices where clients come to meet them, and they make after-hours appointments a rare exception.
Doctors, Dentists, Attorneys, … (1 comments)

Five Easy Ways To Make Your Listings Shine - 09/23/08 06:32 PM

Via Kristina Pratt, Realtor - St. Louis' Illinois Suburbs:
In a tougher market, it's really important not to lose sight of the little things that make your listings stand out from the crowd. 
Here are five simple things that Nancy and I have found to be highly effective:
1.  Take Some Extra Time With Your Photos
When taking photographs, make sure all the blinds/window treatments are open.  Also, make sure to take some extra time to shoot a lot of different angles.  It's hard to tell how well a picture will look on the small LCD of your digital camera.  Now that … (0 comments)

A Financial Meltdown on Wall Street - Will it affect you & real estate? - 09/23/08 06:28 PM

Via Jeff Belonger -- The FHA Expert.com -- FHA Loans -- FHA mortgages -- Mortgages :
Can it be any worse out there?  If you haven't heard, as the credit crisis continues, there are tens of thousands of jobs being lost just on Wall Street alone. And with a few mergers in the near future, there will be more jobs lost.
Is consumer confidence down?  You betcha !!  The Dow Jones is down over 500 points just today, the most since 9/11 in 2001. This is because of fear of a deepening of a year long credit rout caused by hundreds of … (0 comments)

Networking 101 - How to be the Most Popular Person in the Room - 09/23/08 06:25 PM
Great information here Thanks for providing it for re-blogging.
Via Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate:
When I first started in real estate, I used to spend crazy amounts of money on print advertising.  We tried it all, and then some!  Newspapers, local magazines, national magazines, mailouts, and more.  I felt like much of what I did in that initial year or two provided a quick education on which marketing truly works. 
If you want the most "bang for your buck", face-to-face networking is, in my opinion, the most effective single strategy that you can implement.  The good news is that … (1 comments)

Do you use Virtual Tours to market your properties? - 09/23/08 06:12 PM
In Fort McMurray there are nota lot of agents using this form of advertising, and the ones that do virtual tours have purchased the equipment themselves.
If this is a good form of advertising for real estate, which from what I have read it is? But I would like your feed back?
Secondly, what kind of equipment would one need to get started?
I look forward to your comments, Patrick Dardis
… (0 comments)

NUMBERS THAT CHAGED MY LIFE - 09/23/08 03:10 PM
It seems that over a forty-year period these insurance companies asked one hundred college graduates each year how many of them would be wealthy or financially independent by the age of sixty-five.
 
Out of the one hundred college graduates, how many do you think raised their hand? Imagine you have just graduated from college with a four-year degree. You have forty years to make it in the work force. After forty years do you assume you will become wealthy or financially independent? Most of them thought "yes".
 
Here is the reality. Only one percent became rich. Four percent become … (0 comments)

Ten Biggest Mistakes and How to Avoid Them - Part 1 - 09/20/08 09:05 AM
 
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention saves a pound of cure. Consider this article, in two-part, your prevention formula. Just watch for and avoid the following ten frequent real estate agent mistakes to steer clear of trouble and success-eroding errors.  Here, in Part 1, I will cover the first five.
Failing to Build Your Real Estate Practice as a Business
Most Real Estate Agents launch their careers with only two objectives: To achieve a certain level of income and to enjoy the freedom of self employment. Only a rare few start out with the idea of building a … (4 comments)

Making an opportunity out of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - 09/20/08 08:55 AM
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A Realtors first year updated. Best day ever. - 09/17/08 04:19 PM
What a day. A listing that was 56 Days on the Market now has an accepted offer. It took 8 counter offers to come to terms that were acceptable to both sides.
Showed a home to a young couple and they put an offer in, which we are still waiting on the relocation company to resond too. And I listed their present home. At a great deal so that it will sell quickly.
As a rookie Realtor, this was a very full day but it sure makes you feel great.
My web site now has all the office list posted. Please … (0 comments)

Why I personalized my emails? - 09/17/08 08:55 AM
Anyway, here are some facts about personalizing e-mail campaigns that I cannot ignore:
"Personalized emails generated 42.7% more click-throughs on average to the web copy than non-personalized email. Personalized emails generated 403% more sales on average than non-personalized emails. Personalized emails generated 42.8% fewer unsubscribes on average than non-personalized emails."
That is enough scientific fact to please even me.  I will never send out an impersonalized email ever again!
Go to www.MLXJET.com for your branded email. Use my discount code and save 50%. My discount code is PD5831
… (0 comments)

Great Investment Property in Fort McMurray - 09/16/08 09:36 PM
MLS # 30614320

Screaming HOT DEAL!!! Price for a quick sale, and comes with a $10,000 flooring cash back allowance to the Buyer. This home has a perfect location! Situated on a corner lot backing onto school field. This 1216 sq ft home comes with 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms, & a 24 x 24 car garage, all appliances, window coverings, central vac, & is pre wired for central air. The master suite is equipped with a Jacuzzi tub, beautiful oak cabinets finish the kitchen. RPR has been ordered.
  Visit www.mcmurraysbesthomes.com for more details.
… (0 comments)

How Credit Score Affects Your Interest Rate - 09/16/08 05:17 PM
Each year thousands of prospective homeowners are shocked to discover their credit history will hinder their ability to own their dream home.
The very first thing that your loan officer checks when you apply for a mortgage or any kind of credit is your credit score. You are rated in terms of the score which in most cases influences the amount you can borrow. Understanding your credit score in a better way enhances your chances to develop a higher score and thus benefit from loans at better terms and conditions.
A credit score consists of many factors: your payment history, your … (0 comments)

Managing An Open House - After The Open House - 09/12/08 10:26 AM
A successful open house requires a well-chosen and presentable home, a well-organized host, and an impeccable follow-up plan so that no prospect gets lost in the post-event period.  This article focuses on the part after the open house.
Following the open house
Promptly after the open house, send hand-written thank you notes to every single person who provided you with contact information. In today's world of e-mail and computer-generated correspondence, the power of hand-written correspondence is multiplied many times over.
When following up, don't assume that your event was the only open house your prospect attended. I can guarantee you … (0 comments)

The Giants of Mining - 09/12/08 08:59 AM

 The sun sets on an old buckethauler at Syncrude's oil sands project on August 28, 2006. The mining is now done primarily with trucks and shovels.

The entire site runs virtually non-stop 24/7 including huge Caterpillar mine trucks hauling their payloads at Shell's Muskeg River Mine project in the Alberta Oil Sands north of Fort McMurray.
Let's Get Started! Helping people is what I do! Taking the stress of buying or selling a home out of your next transaction is my goal and commitment to my customers. Visit www.McMurraysBestHomes.com
 
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Now serving 89,000 in Fort McMurray - 09/12/08 08:49 AM
Most people arriving in Fort McMurray are looking for jobs; looking for the opportunity to pocket some of the financial benefits of working in the oilsands capital of the world.
But a recent look-see by a couple of big names had more to do with what was going on there than it had about money. The first- and third-ranked richest men in the world recently came to this northern Alberta city, mostly out of curiosity.
A source for Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft Corp., says the duo came to McMurray to "satisfy their … (3 comments)

How to Use a Newsletter to Communicate Effectively with Your Customer Base - 09/04/08 05:20 PM
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Understanding the hidden costs of buying a home - 09/04/08 11:54 AM
Purchasing a home can be a stressful experience for anyone, but especially for first-time buyers who may not be aware that there are a host of costs associated with buying a home other than the actual purchase price and real estate commissions. It helps to know what those costs are in advance rather than get an unexpected surprise at closing and add to an already stressful experience.
Many of the costs are a factor of the purchase price, the value of the home and/or the amount of financing you are obtaining.
Closing costs. These generally refer to legal fees, property tax … (1 comments)

Ten Have-to-Haves for a Real Estate Agent - 09/04/08 11:16 AM
#1 - Good contact management system
As a salesperson, you have to be able to keep in touch with prospects and clients easily and effectively.  You have to be able to put your hands on names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses in an instant.
You can track and keep your people and prospects the old fashion way (on 3x5 note cards), but you will outgrow that quickly.  My advice is always to get a CRM software package.  There are many available that are specifically designed for salespeople, like ACT, Goldmine, Shareware, and Salespeople.com.  These are all made for anyone in … (2 comments)

Super Charge your web site - 09/03/08 10:19 AM
I have been using Real Estate Power Tools on my web site www.McMurraysBestHomes.com and CD's that a customize for FSBO and have converted them to listing with me. The Complete studio gives you the edge over agents in your market- from your customer's first impression at your website all the way to future referrals. Ramiro E. Ramirez's company even customizes the presentaion to your branded web site.
… (2 comments)

Face to Face - 09/02/08 11:28 PM
There's really only 4 ways we can increase our production in Real Estate: number of contacts, method of contacts, quality of the prospect, and quality of the message.
Now, as far as the method of contact goes, the face-to-face appointment is the absolute best in terms of increasing your odds for converting a prospect. Because you want to play the odds in your favor, your goal should always be to drive the prospect to an appointment!
...and what's the best way to do it? The telephone. The telephone is the second best method of contact, and its sole purpose should be … (5 comments)

8 Reasons Why You Should Work With a REALTOR® - 09/02/08 01:05 PM
Not all real estate practitioners are REALTORS®. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Here's why it pays to work with a REALTOR®. 
 
1. Navigate a complicated process. Buying or selling a home usually requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes.
 
2. Information and opinions. REALTORS® can provide local community information on … (0 comments)

10 WAYS TO CUT YOUR ENERGY BILL - 09/02/08 12:53 PM

 
·    One of the easiest ways to cut your heating and cooling bill is to make sure that your attic has 7 inches (R-22) or more (up to R-49) of fiber glass or rock wool insulation.
 
·    A simple step we often ignore-replace or clean your AC vents once a month.
 
·    Don't leave your bathroom ventilator running longer than necessary, as it can drain your entire house of cooled or heated air in about an hour!
 
·    During the summer keep your drapes closed in the heat of the day.  In the winter keep the … (0 comments)

 
Patrick (Pat) Dardis (RE/MAX Fort McMurray)

Patrick (Pat) Dardis

Fort McMurray, AB

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RE/MAX Fort McMurray

Office Phone: (780) 215-7355

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