I very RARELY reblog. When I do, it's not for RE-BLOG points!
The blog posts are active today, and when I read this on the dashboard, it quickly got to page 3 in a short time. And because there's a lot of posting going on, this is one blog that should be a FEATURE ... IMHO!
HOW to tell if the property has DEFECTED DRYWALL (let's keep THE FACT about "where" it was manufactured out of it . . . just to be PC). Since there are NO CURRENT TEST available -- this is ABOUT PROTECTING CONSUMERS, YOURSELVES -- since no one else seems to want to do it.
The CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION has flagged this problem. And indicated that there are no tests currently available. So this blogger has given a very easy solution. If the SILVER -- and keep in mind it has to be a PURE SILVER ALLOY (not plated with silver) is a method . . . it makes sense to see if it corrosive "tell tale" signs appear.
With the recent news about defective drywall made in China, how can a homeowner detect if their home has this insidious material? According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there is no positive test to detect this drywall. There are however, some common homeowner tests you can do to see if you have it installed throughout your home.
First, contact your builder and see if they can advise you where they purchased your drywall or if they know the brand name of the drywall they installed. If this does not yield the results you need, here are some simple checks you can perform. Since this particular drywall emits a Sulphuric smell, mostly associated with what we consider a rotten egg odor, it's a good bet you may have it. Other telltale signs are corrosion on copper coils on your a/c unit, water pipes, or electrical wiring in your outlets. There may be some obvious signs such as a blackening mold-like appearance on the surface of the drywall. Check in the attic and pull back some of the insulation. You may be able to see the name of the manufacturer on the exposed drywall. If your home has copper piping, look carefully for signs of corrosion.
According to Danny Lipford, a well known home-improvement guru on DYI, he advises there is another way to determine if you have this Chinese made product. He suggests suspending silver jewelry or kitchen utensil in front of an air vent. If the item begins to discolor, not just tarnish, in a few days, it's possible you have this drywall.
Many consumers also report adverse health effects such as respiratory difficulties, unexplained and frequent headaches.
The only know remedy, is to remove and replace all the defective drywall, a rather expensive remedy. Simply painting or papering over this drywall, will not stop it's deterioration. Always contact an expert and possibly and attorney if you suspect you have this drywall in your home.
(Delaware has not been currently identified as a state with this problem associated with this drywall.)
The House of Representatives has passed the extension of the Home Buyers Tax Credit by a vote of 403-12. The bill is the same version passed by the Senate earlier this week. Since both versions are the same, there will be no need for a conference to work out the differences, and it is ready for the President's signature.
When he was in Portland, OR recently, my son who has done some interesting work inspired by Philip Glass, "Einstein on the Beach" had the opportunity to met the genius himself.
Philip Glass is an American music composer, considered to be the most influential composers around. He has collaborated on film scores, nominated for three Academy Awards. His list of "Who's Who" is staggering.
When someone of this stature takes the time to talk with your little darling, you'd feel a since of pride too.
All I want to know is this:
Hey, Philip . . . did you like Portland? If so, call me 'k? I'll hook you up with a really nice property!!
Having watched the El Pollo Loco restaurant in Beaverton being built, and then watching it sit and sit . . . since March . . . with their OPENING SOON banners, I can finally tell you it's open. And my tummy is full!
Thank you El Pollo Loco (located at Cedar Hills and Fairfield in Beaverton) for finally opening.
And apparently, I wasn't the only one waiting for El Pollo Loco. The lines were moving quickly, they were well-staffed. But they did have to put 3 employees in the parking lot to direct traffic.
The place was packed. For good reason, it's a great tasting flame-grilled chicken. A nice alternative from fried, fatty food.
El Pollo Loco (the CRAZY Chicken) has been a staple food establishment in Southern California, were I first tasted the wonderful flame-grilled bird.
The menu is a little more diverse then I seemed to remember, and with chicken tamales, I couldn't resist!
El Pollo Loco Beaverton is across the street from the Cedar Hills Crossing Mall. For the first few weeks, I'd suggest you avoid going during rush hour.
Have you ever noticed that if you mention you're a real estate agent to anyone, they'll say, "Oh, my mother is a Realtor(r)," or "I have a cousin that is licensed . . ."
Yeah, scary I know!
But even scarier . . . are licensed agents that don't do anything in real estate.
You think I'm making it up . . . how many real estate agents do you know who have gotten into the business within the last few years who have not done any substantial transactions to date? Riding on others' coat-tails and posing . . . and the only deal they can talk about is the one they were in -- when they bought their home, if you know what I mean.
Active Rain is a good vehicle to gauge experience and authentic real estate knowledge. A seasoned and/or knowledgable agent is not too hard to find, or discern. Sadly, there are some on Active Rain and other social media networks that probably wouldn't be able to sell, or buy, their way out of a paper bag.
Read their blogs.
Is there any substantive discourse of real estate in their blogs?
Are their posts only social in nature and/or waste-o-time blogs?
Do they even blog about real estate?
Have they put a deal or transaction together in the past month (on their own without the help of the broker in charge or sucker mentor)
Do they only post pictures of flowers, trees, their kids . . . but don't post their listings?
And if they don't post listings (because as an Exclusive Buyer Agent I wouldn't) do they talk about deals they've done, anecdotal information . . . ANYTHING to do with them actually working in real estate??
The I.R.S. defines real estate as a "hobby" (or any business activity for that matter) where there is no income derived from that activity.
There are a lot of Realtor(s), and real estate agents who talk loud, while saying absolutely nothing. They use the social media platform and expand like a balloon full of hot air,
Sure, newbies . . . using social media to assist and gain a presence is all viable and legitmate. But, any blogs that do not contain substanitive discourse of real estate might be pissing on your leg and telling you it's raining, in my humble opinion.
Because for those of you who "get it" . . . here's a little present that some might find just as wonderful and marvelous as the shiny new train they wanted!
The CDFI, under the branch of the United States Dept. of the Treasury distributes money. And yesterday I wrote a blog about that.
Today, I guess you could call it Part II, I'm sharing with you a list of the people who have a working relationship already established with the CDFI, and have presently, and in the past, received funds.
Funds=working capital boys and girls.
This is a 115 page document. Review it, read it, analyze it . . .
Those people that oversee these funds, may God bless you of sound mind. Hopefully ALL this money will be used to the betterment of man. And when I say "man" I mean it in the collective sense. GEEZ . . .
(Art found at: Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Harpenden, UK)
A SONG OF SAINT NICHOLAS (aka St. Nick)
There was a good bishop who lived long ago
His memory is glorious, His legends are bold
We call him St Nicholas, a servant of Christ
Who loved little children and taught what was right
The United States Treasury's CDFI (Community Development Financial Institutions Fund) has provided me with a Notice of Open Meeting, and I thought to share.
What Is CDFI?-- under the United States Dept. of the Treasury, the CDFI provides funds, services, credit to under-served markets and populations.
"Broadly speaking, a CDFI is defined as a financial institution that: has a primary mission of community development, serves a target market, is a financing entity, also provides development services, remains accountable to its community, and is a non-government entity." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDFI
Throughout the nation, CDFI has funded neighborhood banks and other projects.
CDFI Fund's Advisory Board to Meet on November 16, 2009 in Washington, D.C
New Markets Tax Credit Program Includes $1.5 Billion Awarded Under the Recovery Act
November 2, 2009
The next meeting of the Community Development Advisory Board (the Advisory Board) will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, November 16, 2009. The Advisory Board meeting will be held in the Cash Room at the U.S. Department of the Treasury located at 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20220.
The room will accommodate up to 50 members of the public. Seats are available to members of the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Since the meeting will be held in a secured federal building, members of the public who desire to attend the meeting must contact the CDFI Fund's Office of Legislative and External Affairs by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 by e-mail at AdvisoryBoard@cdfi.treas.gov, to inform the CDFI Fund of your desire to attend the meeting and to provide the following information which is required to facilitate your entry to the facility: name as it appears on a government issued identification; date of birth; and social security number.
Please note that participation in the discussions at the meeting will be limited to Advisory Board members, Department of the Treasury staff, and certain invited guests. Anyone who would like to have the Advisory Board consider a written statement must submit it to the CDFI Fund's Office of Legislative and External Affairs by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 by mail to 601 Thirteenth Street, NW, Suite 200 South, Washington, DC, 20005, or by e-mail at AdvisoryBoard@cdfi.treas.gov.
The function of the Advisory Board is to advise the Director of the CDFI Fund on the policies regarding the activities of the Fund. The Advisory Board shall not advise the CDFI Fund on the granting or denial of any particular application for monetary or non-monetary awards.
Any questions can be directed to Bill Luecht in the Office of Legislative and External Affairs by calling (202) 622-8042 or via e-mail at luechtw@cdfi.treas.gov
My cell phone rings, "EBA Portland, this is Carla," I begin my conversation.
"Hi Carla. You showed my listing . . ."
And it begins!
The calls for "FEED BACK"
As an Exclusive Buyers Agent, I take no listings. My client base is buyers, and I'm good at that. I like what I do. In fact, I'm the type of Realtor(r) that not only plays by the rules, but actually knows what they are.
So, when I tour a listing -- with a BUYER -- I'm there on behave of my client in a FIDUCIARY capacity, i.e., I represent them. I have certain duties to uphold, and this includes duties my state (Oregon) proscribes, but as a Realtor(r) the ethics implied. I am a licensed professional. I tour properties that are listed through a brokerage under a contractual agreement. What the listing agent/agency and seller(s) have entered into is a legal contract that I'm not privy to. I am NOT involved with this listing at all, other then it fits the needs and wants of my buyer -- so we tour.
Why do listing agents call? I'm not associated with their brokerage, nor their client. This applies to any agent who brings a buyer through the door. We are there to see the property with our buyer, we're NOT there to provide "feed back" to you.
Didn't you price it correctly to begin with?
Didn't you tell your clients that their house has a funky dog smell?
Didn't you tell your clients that their kitchen is really cluttered?
What do you want from us me when you call for "feed back"?
This is YOUR job, YOUR listing. YOUR clients!
You work for a brokerage. So you have a ton of agents that you can ask for "feed back" -- price opinions, etc. -- in your office. ASK THEM!
Not a conflict. Get it?? If you call me for feed back and you want me -- the buyer's agent -- to give you a price opinion . . . hmmmm . . . don't you see what's inherently WRONG with that?!?!?
Do your clients know that you are calling buyers' agents that are not affiliatated with your brokerage for their opinions on YOUR pricing??
The calls are inappropriate, at least to me.
The emails I get after I tour a listing are MORE SPAM which I could do without.
The thing is, if any buyer has an interest in your listing, they'll let you know.
How?
They'll write up an offer.
If you're calling to find out what MY CLIENTS think about your listing -- my lips are sealed!
My fiduciary obligations forbid me to discuss my client's private and confidential conversations with me. Unless I ask my clients their permission, and obtain it in writing, I do NOT discuss what we think about your listing, I'm MUM.
Sorry.
But this is why I'm a great agent.
I don't work for you -- your brokerage -- your sellers.
I work for my clients.
And you should too!
Calling a buyer's agent to get YOUR LISTING'S price adjusted is a gross failure to your clients, and a conflict of interest.
The lockbox is the magic access key that allows agents to open the doors on listed property. It also keeps statistics, and as you can see, there has been a 15.4% DECREASE in activity, and this includes Portland, OR real estate activity.
This is the THIRD WEEK showing a marked decrese. Last week there was a reported -5.5% DECREASE. Week prior, ending 10/11/09 was also down -10.4%.
Now with the cooler months of fall, going into the colder months of winter, will lock box activity continue to decline? It will be interesting to follow the Portland, OR real estate trend with showings going up, or down?
BUYERS: What that means for you . . . the properties you have interest in might not have the level of activity as expected. These showings are for the RMLS Supra lockbox in the state. The Portland, OR real estate market might have slightly higher levels of activity.
SELLERS: Check and see with your listing agent if the STAT above, of -5.5% decrease is holding true with your property. Are you getting any more showings, or has activity level dropped??
"Ralph Griffiths: essayist, publisher, watchmaker, husband, and wit."
As a publisher, he had his own shop on Fleet Street. Outside, he had etched the Sign of the Dunciad : "The bookseller's sign warning dunces that The Monthly would have no mercy in exposing dull authors."
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Many of you might now know who Philip Glass is. 
All I want to know is this: 
Having watched the El Pollo Loco restaurant in Beaverton being built, and then watching it sit and sit . . . since March . . . with their OPENING SOON banners, I can finally tell you it's open. And my tummy is full!
Have you ever noticed that if you mention you're a real estate agent to anyone, they'll say, "Oh, my mother is a Realtor(r)," or "I have a cousin that is licensed . . ."
Please don't say I never do anything nice.
The United States Treasury's CDFI (Community Development Financial Institutions Fund) has provided me with a Notice of Open Meeting, and I thought to share.
I joined Active Rain in May 2007. 
I love Wikipedia. My son turned me on to it a few years ago, and it's an amazing place. Full of knowledge.
;)
;)
