opinions: No one is listening to you on Social Media. - 02/18/11 09:17 AM

Or are they?
I had a great conversation with a new friend the other day and it drove home some thoughts and beliefs I already had, but know that many people struggle with when it comes to social media.  If no one connects or responds, are we making an impact?  If no one comments on our blog post, does that mean no one likes it or found value in it?  If a Tweet goes out and no one mentions it ever again, did anyone even read it?
You can read the original post, Social Media: Where is everyone? on my … (14 comments)

opinions: Coaching with Tom Ferry - First Call - 06/06/10 09:58 AM
Enjoying my winnings.
I sat down on Thursday to start my month of coaching with Tom Ferry (that I won right here at ActiveRain) via Skype.  I wasn't 100% sure what to expect.  I was looking forward to it, but that was about all I knew.
Tom was downright forthcoming in his assessments and making sure I understood what we were going to be looking at.  He didn't even mention real estate at first, we spoke more about personal life for the first few minutes.  As we spoke, I realized just why he was asking the questions he did.  I'd say … (7 comments)

opinions: Tattoo You: What do real estate and tattoos have in common? - 05/13/10 05:48 PM
Tattoos and Real Estate.
Two things that don't sound like they have much in common, but based on several late night conversations via Twitter with some of the agents I know, not as mismatched as one might think.  Tattooing is an ancient art that has really come into its own over the past decade.  I come from a family that has tattooing in its blood - both my father and brother being Marines who have several well worn tattoos between them.  Real estate is a passion for me, but so is the art of tattooing.
But this post really isn't about … (18 comments)

opinions: Action/Reaction and the Principals of How We Treat Prospetive Clients - 12/22/09 06:15 AM

photo courtesy of eflon
 
You'll need to do some homework.
In order for this post to make much sense, you'll need to read up first.  Please read Larry and Sheila Agranoff's post "Should We Even Respond To This One?" (a featured post from 12/21/09) - if you're not a member of ActiveRain, the post will not come up for you as it is marked "Members Only."  Be sure to read through the comments as this is what my post is based on.
So what would you do?
I hope you left a comment while you over there, but let … (32 comments)

opinions: FHA Loans To Become More Expensive For Home Buyers? - 12/04/09 03:19 PM
FHA Loan Changes - Good Idea?
Yesterday, I re-blogged a post about FHA loans, originally written by Ken Cook, one of the lenders I really trust when it comes to FHA information and advice.  I had read his article with great interest, as any change in any lender's rules, regulations, or requirements - directly affects me and my clients.
I'm not a mortgage wizard, which is why I surround myself with the best lenders I can find - so that when I do have questions or my clients need more explanation of a mortgage issue, I can get them the answers … (64 comments)

opinions: Will the Realtors® Property Resource (RPR) drive up the costs of referrals? - 11/07/09 10:01 AM
The Realtors® Property Resource is coming.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, let's get you up to speed first.  Check out these articles (and the articles they reference) for some great information about the Realtors® Property Resource (RPR) and what it potentially means to your business.  You might want to grab a few extra cups of coffee before you click - this is pretty heavy stuff and the analysis and information might require some serious caffeine.
Breaking News: NAR/RPR + Cyberhomes = written by Jim Duncan
The Coming Civil War in Real Estate: The RPR Saga Begins written … (33 comments)

opinions: First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit: Will The Winter Affect It's Impact? - 11/04/09 08:14 PM
Please note, as of this recording, the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit extension has not been passed.  This video and post is based on the presumption that the tax credit has been extended for the purpose of the ideas expressed in the video and the conversation it seeks to create.

What if the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit is extended to April 30th?
It all started with a conversation with Jay Thompson the other day during the rash of tweets claiming the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit had been extended.  If you read my blog regularly, you … (15 comments)

opinions: Market Report for San Antonio 78259 - 10/23/09 03:47 PM
San Antonio 78259
New homes being built at a sensible pace, plenty of land for expansion, and the gently rolling hills of the edge of the Hill Country define the real estate market in 78259.  I fear this area will eventually end up a bit more like Stone Oak, but for now, that is nothing more than my own speculation and I don't think it will happen for many years to come.  Overall 78259 is performing much like it should based on the laws of supply and demand.  Sales are a bit sluggish in the area, but a dent is being … (0 comments)

opinions: 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)

opinions: New layout idea for advertising listings - would like some opinions. - 05/24/09 11:35 AM

photo courtesy of Matt from London
As you may recall...
In a recent post, "Postlets and ActiveRain - Once Friends, Now Enemies.," I lamented the fact that Postlets just didn't seem to be working out for me.  The problem revolves around the screen real estate occupied by the HTML generated by Postlets being wider than I need for various places I want to post them (including my outside blog, San Antonio's Rockstar Turned Realtor® and my RErockstar.com site).  Of course, promoting our listings online is an important part of what we do, so not being able to use this great … (20 comments)

opinions: Home Stagers: Do You Offer a "Guaranteed to Sell" on your Home Staging Work? - 02/12/09 07:58 PM
 
I seem to be on a re-blog trend today.
I got involved in this post recently when I happened upon it in the current posts.  I read it and commented.  My comments caused some more comments and the post has now become a very interesting discussion about staging.  I know little about staging, so for me, this has been an exciting series of comments.  Since I know some agents might have skipped over this blog because they didn't think it was something for them, I thought I'd re-blog it and hope that some more agents might join the conversation and … (1 comments)