50 Reasons Why You Should Help Me Get To (RE)BlogWorld. - 09/29/09 06:35 AM

photo courtesy of matze_ott
REBlogWorld and BlogWorld 2009 - Why?
As you may know from yesterday's post, I am attempted to go to REBlogworld and Blogworld thanks to a contest on Alltop.  It's a pretty lofty goal when you think about the fact that there are a gazillion bloggers out there trying to do the same thing.  Of course, I have one thing they don't.  A network of ActiveRain friends who have been helping me accomplish my goal.
So why do I care so much about going to Blogworld?  What's in it for me?  What's in it for you?  Randy … (40 comments)

I Need Your Help. Your Reward? Great Blogs With Great Info. REBlogworld/Blogworld Expo In Las Vegas! - 09/27/09 12:23 PM

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 … (44 comments)

Search The San Antonio MLS With No Registration Required. - 09/26/09 12:41 AM

A step in the right direction.
I've been pondering the issue of registration recently.  When it comes to searching the San Antonio MLS, I am confident that RErockstar.com (my main site) provides one of the best ways to search for homes in San Antonio (thanks to my good friends at ARE-TEC).  After thinking about it for a few months, I have decided to open up the floodgates and remove all registration requirements from the site.
Why?
The answer is simple.  You would have done it anyway.  I never required registration on my site.  While searching for a home in San … (45 comments)

The Brand Challenge At AgentGenius - A Way To Learn From Your Past Blogs - 09/25/09 08:01 AM
When was the last time you looked back?
The other day, I wrote "The Brand Challenge - Looking Back In My Blogging History" for The Stigliano Chronicles at AgentGenius about taking a look at some of my early attempts at blog posts and using them to figure out where I had come from and hopefully learn a bit more about where I was going.
The idea of The Brand Challenge came from Ken Brand, one of my favorite writers and someone who is constantly asking questions and pushing me to be better.  He's a contributor at AgentGenius, but also a frequent … (13 comments)

Ambassador Series - What is Localism? - 09/23/09 12:28 PM
 
I love it when a plan comes together.
When I tagged my first post as part of the "Ambassador Series" I thought it was a great idea and a way to collect some of the thoughts of the ActiveRain Ambassadors out there in blog form to help out any new members or those considering joining.  Everyone has to start somewhere and it always helps to have a body of posts and people willing to help you out.
Donna Bigda is the first of the Ambassadors (to my knowledge) to take the idea and use it on her own blog.  As … (1 comments)

I'm A Real Estate Expert - What's Wrong With This Statement? - 09/22/09 12:09 PM

photo courtesy of Mai Le
Being an expert.
I read a comment on someone's blog today (and won't link to it as the comment doesn't really apply to what I'm writing, it just sent me down this path) that made me think about the word expert and how we use it consistently in real estate.  Everyone wants to hire someone with expertise in their field, no matter what industry you're coming from.  We like to know we're getting the best of the best.  We don't want to hire someone who has no experience in their field.
Merriam-Webster defines expert:
2 … (83 comments)

Goodbye Summer - Hello Fall - Are 100 Degree Days Behind Us San Antonio? - 09/22/09 08:20 AM

photo courtesy me and my iPhone
Fall arrives in San Antonio.
After one of the hottest Summers on record here in San Antonio (59 days of 100 degrees or more weather - with 5 of them hitting 104 degrees) and a drought that has looked like it will never end, I awoke to this as the scene in my backyard this morning.  It's not pouring and it's certainly not the kind of Fall I grew up with back in Philadelphia, but today is most certainly not Summer.  Today is the first day of Fall and the weather wanted to be … (12 comments)

RE/MAX Access - Summer Shindig Fun At Lake LBJ - 09/21/09 08:24 AM

photo courtesy me and my iPhone
Some brokers know how to have fun.
This weekend was my office's "Summer Shindig at Lake LBJ."  Sheila Moran (broker of RE/MAX Access and fellow ActiveRain member) knows how to throw a end-of-summer party and office get together.  There's something to be said for a group of agents who have come together to work and play together.  As you can see from the photo, there was some jet-skiing, but there was also a great boat ride through Lake Lyndon B. Johnson (map), some incredible food, lots of laughter and great conversation, prizes, and good … (12 comments)

Ambassador Series: Being a "Rainmaker" Has Its Privileges - 09/19/09 07:32 AM

stats as of Saturday, September 19, 2009, early in the morning
Being a "Rainmaker."
As most of you know, being a Rainmaker here at ActiveRain gives you a few privileges.  First, you get a nifty Rainmaker badge under your photo.  Second, you get an outside blog.  Third, you get the ability to post publicly and get all the Google love associated with ActiveRain.  Let's look at that last one.  What is the difference between a "Members Only" and a "Public" post?  Does it make a big difference?
The screenshot above is a great example of why you want to be … (22 comments)

Memories at ActiveRain - Christmas morning and the silence. - 09/17/09 08:39 AM

photo courtesy of Corey Leopold
I had a lot going on in my life.
It was Christmas Day 2008.  I was just less than a month into blogging here on ActiveRain, just slightly over that with my blogging on AgentGenius, and my fledgling site looked nothing like it does today.  My real estate career wasn't yet a year old and I was just a few short days from celebrating my second year in my new city.  I loved what I knew of real estate, but hadn't really found my footing quite yet.
I had had two featured posts by that … (15 comments)

Craiglist Rental Scam Hits San Antonio - Beware Of Who You're Renting From! - 09/16/09 07:59 AM

photo courtesy of jepoirrier
The internet is always rife with scams.
I've heard of the craigslist rental scam before, but up until this week, I hadn't heard it specifically spoken of in San Antonio circles.  The scam is pretty simple, you go on craigslist and there's the perfect rental for you.  You inquire about the property and soon you are having a discussion with someone who is in another country for one reason or another and they're renting their home (or helping friends do the same).  They ask for an application and the application seems safe enough (no credit card … (13 comments)

Looking for San Antonio Neighborhood Information? New Neighborhoods At RErockstar.com. - 09/15/09 08:49 AM
New Neighborhoods Launched On RErockstar.com
In the quest to provide San Antonio buyers and sellers the best neighborhood information, RErockstar.com has recently expanded it's covered neighborhoods.
With the recent rains, it was hard to get out and do photos of new San Antonio neighborhoods, so I took advantage of the time and added some of the backlog of neighborhoods I had been building up.
New neighborhoods include:
Coral Springs - San Antonio TX 78250
Parklands - San Antonio TX 78250
Retama Springs - Selma TX 78154
Stonefield - San Antonio TX 78254
click any of the links to see all neighborhoods … (0 comments)

San Antonio Home Buyers - Why Many Agents Won't Show You A Home "Right Now!" - 09/14/09 08:01 AM
It's a common thing.
Recently SarahGray Lamm wrote a post titled, "ADVICE NEEDED: Blogging Works. Now What..."  The basic premise of the post was how to handle the buyer who calls and says "I need to see this house right now."  Not a client, but someone you've never met before.  Every Realtor® I know gets these calls and everyone I know handles them a little differently, but the outcome is typically the same.  I'm hoping to help San Antonio home buyers understand why many agents won't show the home on short notice.
Time Management
To put it simply, we as agents … (22 comments)

San Antonio Sellers - Do You Know Where Your Home Is? - 09/13/09 02:42 PM

image courtesy of Robert Couse-Baker
Exposure, the internet, and you.
When you're thinking about selling your San Antonio home, you have a lot to consider.  Price, staging or not, different listing tactics (bonuses, allowances, residential service contracts, inclusions, etc.), and who your Realtor® will be.  It's a huge step in your life and getting it right is the goal.  A improperly listed home can languish on the market and cause you more headaches than you want (who wants headaches?).  One of the biggest functions of a Realtor® during your listing is getting your home noticed.  With plenty of houses to … (2 comments)

Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf - Do the right thing (Or Do Something....and QUICK) - 09/11/09 01:54 PM
 

photo courtesy of Tony Webster
It is spreading fast.  I heard it on Twitter this morning.
Most of you have probably seen the various news articles online today.  It's pretty shocking.  I was going to write a bit about my feelings on this, but when I saw Bob's post, I thought that I wouldn't be able to say it much better, so I'm just going to re-blog it.  Go to Bob's post or re-blog it.  If you're not a member of ActiveRain, write about it on your personal blog, Twitter about it, talk about it on Facebook - whatever, … (1 comments)

Learning about Blogging through Active Rain ~ Get your blog on ~ INVITE~ - 09/10/09 03:38 PM
San Antonio - Come join us!
The last session of Cold Drinks and Hot Topics was a great success (and there was even a birthday cake for me there, although I didn't get it until the following day).  This next one, on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 4:30 PM is your chance to come out, meet some ActiveRain bloggers and learn a thing or two as well!  Conducted by Kristin Moran herself, this should be a good one (considering I learned from her when I first started out on ActiveRain, I'd say she knows what she's talking about).
So come on … (8 comments)

A simple way to connect with your local world of real estate. - 09/10/09 08:22 AM

photo courtesy of chazzvid
Simplicity.
Connecting with others is probably one of the most important aspects of real estate.  We all work hard to be the neighborhood expert, the local agent, or the recognized authority on given subjects pertaining to our field.  We are always searching for new ways to show our skills, dedication, and knowledge.  Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not a fan of the hard sell.  I don't "advertise" my skills in traditional fashion.  I am more about connecting with locals and letting them make informed decisions about me.  I want them to want me to be … (55 comments)

San Antonio Camera Phone: "Here Comes The Rain(bow) Again." - 09/09/09 07:30 PM

photo courtesy of me and my iPhone
Trapped in a welcome pattern.
Here in San Antonio, we've been crying for rain for sometime now.  This summer was blistering hot and Death Valley dry.  The past few days have seen showers and thunderstorms pass through town and you can see the relief on San Antonio residents' faces.  Yesterday on RErockstar.com, I posted "San Antonio Camera Phone: Here Comes The Rain Again."  If you jump over there, you'll see the looming clouds that soon brought rain.
I took the photo on my way home from RE/MAX Access in Garden Ridge, heading westbound … (3 comments)

Remember this little fellow? You won't believe how things have changed. - 09/08/09 02:48 PM

image courtesy of g.originals
The angry cat in a box.
Anyone who's been reading me for sometime, might recall the story of the cat under my deck that I wrote back on December 21, 2008.  The story was a bit of a parable about the cat we find in our backyard and how we were building trust and a relationship.  I never actually compared the cat to real estate in any way (except for a note at the bottom saying I think most people would get exactly what I was getting at).  The cat in the photo above wasn't the … (16 comments)

Looking for local San Antonio neighborhood information and photos? - 09/06/09 08:41 AM
San Antonio Neighborhood Information At Your Fingertips
San Antonio is a big place, with lots of neighborhoods throughout the city (and plenty on the outskirts of the city that we call "San Antonio," but are technically not part of the city).  Trying to figure out where to live and getting information on local neighborhoods can be a daunting process.  Even as a San Antonio Realtor®, I am constantly discovering new neighborhoods and learning about brand new subdivisions all the time.
In an effort to help buyers, whether they have lived here all their life or are just relocating to our area, … (9 comments)

The point is Not can-t-we-all-just-get-along-stagers-vs-realtors-vs-sellers- - 09/03/09 08:02 PM
Hmmmmm.
My recent post about staging has caused a lot of communication between stagers and myself.  I've received an email almost daily from stagers across the country giving me their thoughts and I've enjoyed seeing the different ideas, explanations, and theories out there.  This post by Virginia Tatseos, was emailed to me today by Virginia and is a stager's take on it all.
I was a little hesitant to re-blog this as I think it may cause some reactions that might set off more of the same us vs. them comments that caused me to originally write my post.  I hope … (1 comments)

E-mail Communications During Negotiation - Don't Hit Send Too Quick. - 09/02/09 09:52 PM

photo courtesy of Truth Went Trendy
Ever done something that made you say "Oops"?
Lucky for me, although I have, this story isn't about me.  I'm involved, but I didn't hit send too quick.  I've been involved in negotiations for my buyer this week and today, I received an email from the listing agent about our last counter offer.  It was yet another counter.  Reading the email, I noticed it continued on past the agent's signature.  What did I find?  Communications between the sellers and their agent.  Private, confidential conversations.  I admit, not much was revealed that would be considered … (50 comments)

Better or worse? What would you prefer (consumer opinions welcome)? - 09/02/09 04:38 PM
You know I like to write more than the average blogger.
Not that I enjoy writing more, but that I enjoy writing more words than the average blogger.  It's an affliction that I was born with and it hasn't gone away.  I like to be as in depth as possible and in some cases it may scare away some readers at www.rerockstar.com, but for those that are willing to stick around and bear with me (and there seems to be plenty), I think I often provide a pretty complete picture of the issue at hand.  Some call it over-doing it, I … (10 comments)