random thoughts: Negotiation Tactic #1: Expose the seller - 11/18/08 11:55 AM
Wow...Wow...Wow...
I just read this comment...
By Nicole Griffin
Nov 18, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this
He wouldn't give me a good deal on his house so I had him deported. It was just part of the negotiations. Now maybe I can get a better deal on the Jimenez's … (13 comments)
|
random thoughts: By any means necessary - 11/06/08 01:09 PM
Have you ever read an article that just left you dumbfounded? You re-read it a couple of times because you weren't sure that you read it correctly? Did they really do what this article said?
Today was just one of those days. My little Google update widget sprang into action this … (24 comments)
|
random thoughts: I didn't think it was silly... - 10/15/08 02:57 PM
Dear Mr. Contractor,
I wanted to thank you for doing the repair work on the home that my buyers are purchasing here in Salem, OR. They are very excited about this house.
I just wanted to make sure that you understood that in real estate transactions, the deal is between the … (10 comments)
|
random thoughts: We don't have to all be the same...a hard learned lesson. - 04/23/08 08:58 PM
"Mommy, she's not doing it right! She doesn't know anything," stated my almost 8 year old son about his 6 year old sister, with an air of superiority.
"She is younger than you, and is still working on learning those skills," I replied. "It's okay if you don't do things the same way, … (13 comments)
|
random thoughts: Where do you draw the line? - 04/22/08 04:07 PM
Foreclosures are nothing new. We hear about them in the media everyday. I was recently in the outside blogosphere and came across this interesting discussion on Kathy Neilsen's blog about homebuyers who KNOW they are going to go into foreclosure. These homebuyers know they are going to stop making payments on the … (1 comments)
|
random thoughts: The Rain Myth of the Pacific Northwest - 04/16/08 11:01 PM
As I was taking pictures of tulips the other day at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival, it got me thinking about the perception that it rains all of the time in Oregon. So I did a little research and according to WeatherBill
The 10 rainiest cities in the U.S. by amount of … (13 comments)
|
random thoughts: When the going gets tough, the tough get creative. - 04/14/08 11:05 PM
Unless you have been living in the Batcave for the past year, you realize that the real estate market, in most cities has changed drastically. Sellers who have tried traditional means to get their homes sold have started to explore "other" options.
Here locally, in Yachats, OR we have an essay contest … (8 comments)
|
random thoughts: I wonder if the buyers got what they wanted? - 04/13/08 06:52 PM
As many of you remember a couple of months ago, a buyer initiated a lawsuit against her real estate agent for fraud due to misrepresentation.
On Friday the trial ended and in less than two hours the jury came back with a unanimous verdict that vindicated the real estate agent, Mike Little.
Ms. … (35 comments)
|
random thoughts: Do we have to have an opinion about everything? - 04/08/08 12:05 AM
Online forums are an incredible thing. The ability to harness to much opinion in one area is a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow. It is this aspect that makes AR so addictive.
Like many other real estate agents, I peruse other forums on occasion. I was recently on a forum and … (8 comments)
|
random thoughts: Nutty Neighbors and Disclosure...Do you? - 04/01/08 06:26 PM
There is lawsuit occurring in Maricopa county over a neighbor. A buyer purchase a home in 2005 only to find that his neighbor had some serious issues. She yelled obscenities at his daughter pretty much every day. He decided to sue the previous owner for failing to disclose the nuisance neighbor.
You … (14 comments)
|
random thoughts: Do we suck as a race? - 03/30/08 03:07 PM
I wrote a post not too long ago about a Craigslist scam that is going around the country. Yesterday, I had the fortune of finding my website content on someone else's website, joy of joys. Today, I read an article about two situations in which people posted an ad on Craigslist to come home … (8 comments)
|
random thoughts: The ugly side of the internet: Plagiarism - 03/29/08 05:29 PM
Okay, it finally happened...I was plagiarized.
Like many members, I have read many blogs on AR about copyright and plagiarism. I am not the most elegant writer (my AP creative writing teacher in high school would be appalled at the regression in my writing skills), but I did spend a lot of time … (12 comments)
|
random thoughts: Lessons from the bank... - 03/28/08 10:23 PM
I took my 7 year old son today to open his first savings account at the bank. He had managed to save $23.50 so far from his allowance. As I was going through the process with him, explaining how the bank knows to put the money in his account vs. another … (10 comments)
|
random thoughts: Top Ten Safest Places for Kids-Oregon makes the list! - 03/19/08 08:25 PM
As I was getting my son from school today, I noticed that several kids were riding their scooters without helmets. Now in Oregon, if they are under the age of 14, that is against the law. This reminded me of a Parents Magazine article.
Parents Magazine just rated the top 10 safest states for kids. … (1 comments)
|
random thoughts: The Home Owners Loan Corporation- A return to the past? - 03/16/08 12:48 PM
I've been really busy the past couple of months, and haven't done quite as much reading as I have needed to in order to stay up on all of the ideas floating around about the housing market. I was reading my Business Week magazine yesterday, and they were talking about the resurrection … (1 comments)
|
random thoughts: Sometimes being 47 out of 50 is a good thing... - 03/14/08 09:26 PM
Normally in Salem, Oregon, we get drizzle, but today it poured in sheets on and off. It reminded me of mid-west rain. I always liked a really good rainstorm...well from inside my house anyway.
As I was driving to get my son from his school today, I was hit with panic. … (4 comments)
|
random thoughts: Emotional Value and the Buyer - 03/05/08 09:57 PM
"Well...what is it worth to you to hang your hat there at the end of the day?"
I recently made this statement to one of my buyers involved in a transaction. He and his wife had significant differences in what type of property they were looking for. She wanted to live in … (12 comments)
|
random thoughts: Blog and they will come, even when you don't want them to... - 02/27/08 11:20 PM
"Someone is trying to murder me. It might have to do with my ex-wife having an affair..."
What in the world? You might ask...Let me start at the beginning...
Not too long ago someone blogged about all of the solicitation calls they were receiving since they started blogging on ActiveRain. The vendors call … (3 comments)
|
random thoughts: Is your listing agent making the grade? - 02/22/08 10:47 PM
My 7 year old son came home from school today and was disappointed that he got 9/10 on his spelling test. Spelling is really hard for him, but he has dug his heels in and worked really hard to learn the words. He previously had two weeks of 10/10 and wanted … (9 comments)
|
random thoughts: What are you worth? - 02/21/08 07:17 PM
At the end of every transaction I burn the transaction onto a CD and put my emails in .pdf format and store everything on a disk. The other day, as I was doing this for my client, the .pdf conversion of the emails was taking forever. When it finished I realized … (4 comments)
|
random thoughts: I need more participation - 02/12/08 04:17 PM
The Continued Adventures of Jack and Jill.
I have been working with buyers for two years now. I wrote a 3 part post about them already. For Part I, click here.
My clients were interested in new construction here in Salem, OR. As there were many they were interested in, we did a multiple buyer … (7 comments)
|
random thoughts: Community Crayons: lessons we should learn in school - 02/05/08 12:56 PM
I recently read Andrew Lenza's post A strong country starts with strong competitive children. There was a comment made by Marchel Parson in the comment section that struck me and inspired this blog.
"they had done away with grades (so no one would feel bad), all the kids had to put their … (1 comments)
|
random thoughts: The essence of professional service - 01/25/08 11:50 PM
As agents, we have all worked with other agents whose lack of service to the client was frustrating and sometimes shockingly bad. I just filed my first grievance with my state agency against another agent. I felt really bad for her buyers, since I don't think they are aware of how … (2 comments)
|
random thoughts: A cure for the cold-hourly rates in real estate. - 01/24/08 09:20 PM
I went the doctor recently for a cold. It was a pretty average cold, nothing too funky about it. I wanted to get cured.
"In order to cure your cold, you need to get some rest, drink plenty of fluids, and eat well," said the doctor. "You should be fine in 1-3 … (3 comments)
|
random thoughts: The Power of Choice - 01/22/08 04:57 PM
One of the most important aspects of our culture is the power of choice. We can choose any religion, express our own thoughts, choose from a multitude of occupations, and essentially how we want to live our lives.
There have always been and will always be discussions about ethics. Not just in … (20 comments)
|
random thoughts: Dear NAR - 01/15/08 11:03 AM
It is really important to me as an agent that I refer clients to good people. So when a client calls and asks me for a plumber, lender, home inspector, accountant, baby sitter, etc. I make sure I refer them to someone I know is good. If it isn't someone I … (8 comments)
|
random thoughts: The MLS and NAR, in the minority - 01/09/08 12:18 PM
I read Jon Zolsky's post about some of the NAR regulations and was surprised by some of the comments. Not because they were negative or rude, but because of how many MLS's require NAR membership.
According to the article 82% of you have no choice. While I knew that many MLS's required … (4 comments)
|
random thoughts: Are you a Sales Agent or a Service Agent? - 01/07/08 11:51 PM
Broker Bryant recently wrote a post about why discounter's don't sell their service. His thought was if you really can give a client good service for cheap, why not tout your good service?
I am an ABM (Alternative Business Model) as defined by BB, and in no way shape or form was … (6 comments)
|
random thoughts: Channeling Nostradamus-Predictions for 2008 - 12/31/07 01:14 PM
AR recently asked for predictions for 2008. So I got in my best meditative stance with my venti vanilla mocha and my rock music. Stretching out my fingers, I let Nostradamus channel through me to the keyboard. Here is the result...
The insulting offer will become the norm in real estate. Agents will perfect … (5 comments)
|
random thoughts: Sometimes it's good not to be #1. - 12/26/07 05:26 PM
Well, it had to happen.
Business Week Magazine published an article Worst Predictions about 2007. There were 12 total, and #9 had to do with, you guessed it, real estate.
On January 10, 2007, David Lereah, the former chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, stated...
"The steady improvement in … (9 comments)
|
random thoughts: Keeping up with the Joneses - 11/29/07 10:42 PM
There have been numerous articles about who's to blame for the current real estate market, and what to do about it.
What I don't see a lot of is people talking about the inherent need created in the American culture to keep up with the Joneses.
There is nothing wrong with wanting … (7 comments)
|
random thoughts: Homeowners Included? - 11/18/07 06:01 PM
I know there have been numerous blogs in the past about poor photos on the MLS. I have seen my fair share of sideways staircases, toilets, and pictures that just leave me scratching my head. I hit the motherload of bad photos this past week.
As I was screening homes for my … (4 comments)
|
random thoughts: Why I'm not afraid of the DOJ... - 10/14/07 04:37 PM
I just finished ready Steves' article on the DOJ vs. NAR. There are many things I like about NAR, but I agree with Steve that their "perpetually sunny outlook" does not make Realtors® look very professional. Despite the fact that NAR is part of their lawsuit, the fact is that some states, … (28 comments)
|
random thoughts: If you know a mountain goat that needs a house... - 09/04/07 11:15 PM
This weekend I was out with some buyers looking at homes. After looking at the 70 choices that met their criteria, we narrowed it down to 13 that they most wanted to see The last house that we looked at was built by a fairly large local builder, who often has unusual floor plans. … (6 comments)
|
random thoughts: Real Estate: A 3 Ring Circus? - 08/22/07 07:15 PM
Come one, come all!
In this ring...the clowns...
There have been a couple of great blogs lately on Active Rain about "churning" listings or re-entering a listing in order to make it appear new. Sometimes I feel, in conjunction with my clients, that I am dealing with a bunch of clowns. My clients … (1 comments)
|
;)
Links;)
Archives
