aggies: Database management and marketing...
- 09/07/07 07:57 AM
Dear readers, I attended a free Top Producer training class this morning led by Reid Kegel, our TP regional sales associate. Scheduled for three hours, I went into it wondering how much time would be training vs. time spent trying to sell me add-ons to Top Producer 7i. I was very pleasantly surprised. I've been using Top Producer for about eight months, and already has most of it figured out through their on-line courses or through trial and error. That said, there were five Ah-ha's that I learned that would have made any sales presentation worth it, but Reid didn't have to sell. … (3 comments)
aggies: Before sunrise in Aggieland...
- 09/06/07 11:29 AM
Dear readers, I love the fall. The weather doesn't change fast enough for me down here in College Station, Texas, but at least its beginning, and the kids have come back to town. There is something about all that youth, ready for another year, many on their own for the first time (8,083 freshman this year). And of course there's Aggie football, which is a very big thing here. Texas A&M has a large military band, which is a unit of the Corps of Cadets. As with many bands, because of their busy schedule, practice is scheduled for 6:00 am, which happens to be the … (0 comments)
aggies: We Bleed Maroon...Granger Smith and Aggieland
- 09/05/07 11:29 AM
HOWDY AGS, Those of you at the game last weekend were treated to this video by Granger Smith. I think its going to be popular here. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=17489419 Want more? Granger Smith will be performing live at the 3rd annual Down Syndrome of Brayan/College Station Buddy Walk, which will be held at Wold Pen Creek Amphitheatre on October 21st, 2007. Tickets and further information is available at http://www.downsyndromeofbcs.com/. Sam Whitewww.SamWhiteRealty.com … (0 comments)
aggies: Texas A&M Scores Record Fall Enrollment
- 09/05/07 12:54 AM
Dear readers, Figures are confirming what College Station, Texas residents already know...there are a LOT of kids in town. Fall enrollment figures indicate that the College Station campus has an enrollment of 46,612, up from 45,380 in the fall of 2006. In the fall of 2006 Texas A&M was ranked 8th in the United States. The largest school in the nation in 2006 was Ohio State's main campus at 51,818 students. Our main campus in College Station is also becoming more diverse, with 5,292 Hispanic students in 2007, up 351 students from last year. This year's freshman class, one of the largest in the … (4 comments)
aggies: Code Maroon
- 09/04/07 01:05 AM
Dear readers, After the tragedy at Virginia Tech last school year, university administrators across the country have reevaluated the methods used to notify students, faculty and staff of emergency situations. Texas A&M has adopted Code Maroon. Any Texas A&M student, faculty or staff member can sign up for the service at www.codemaroon.tamu.edu. As the spouse of a staff member my cell phone is included in the network. Notification came come to you via text message or e-mail. The ability to contact people in an emergency is only half of the equation. Those with the responsibility of activating the system bear the burden of deciding … (0 comments)
aggies: Unusual things to do in the Brazos Valley...
- 09/03/07 08:21 AM
Dear readers, Looking for something unusual to do this fall? Try taking some lawn chairs and a cooler out to Coulter Field, in Bryan, and watch the skydiving and whatever other silliness is afoot. Many moons ago, I spent my days at Coulter jumping out of airplanes. For an entire decade my friends and I jumped like crazy...any excuse to find ourselves in freefall. I logged my first 1,500 hours flying N4803D, the DZ Cessna-182, also known as Duct tape. It was quite an airplane. Fly and jump and jump and fly. EFS. Well, I'm older and a bit more brittle now, but that doesn't … (0 comments)
aggies: Educate, ask and reward...
- 09/03/07 12:28 AM
Dear Readers, I love Sundays in Colleg Station, Texas. I always try to take some time on Sunday to read. I turn off the TV, radio and cell phone and try to spend at least 1 1/2 hours at it. Most of the time I read fiction, but yesterday I spent some time with the Keller Williams training manual called "Your Business is Your Database." The hard selling season is over for us, and in the fall I tend to work on building the foundation for next season. College Station real estate, as well As Bryan real estate takes a break. Aggie football … (1 comments)
aggies: Life is better when you win...
- 09/02/07 02:05 AM
Dear readers, This week I've spent quite a bit of time writing about life in a university town. Today, I'm writing about the morning after. Yesterday the Aggies played their first home game of the season. Montana came to visit, and they were outscored. Better them than us. Last season we lost a key home game to a rival from up the road. When that happens, there is a "subdued" feeling that comes over the Brazos Valley. Festivities are scaled back, but not cancelled. There aren't as many smiles on Sunday, and I suspect that church attendance is up. So we say farewell to our … (0 comments)
aggies: A serious market...
- 09/01/07 02:17 AM
Dear readers, I'm getting better at verbalizing current market conditions. Spending three days with the brightest minds in Keller Williams last week was helpful, but it takes a lot of reason to counter the panic and misconceptions caused by our national media. Our market is unusual anyway, for a couple of reasons. First is the moderating influence of Texas A&M University. It is our biggest and cleanest industry, and it isn't going away. Second, our community doesn't seem to have as many weak loans as others. I'd like to think that the lenders and borrowers in the Brazos Valley had a bit more … (3 comments)
aggies: More money for the college town...
- 08/31/07 01:39 AM
Dear readers, I hope the weekend finds you well. For us college football begins today, as an extra 40,000 people stream into town for the Aggies first home game. Local businesses are selling everything maroon, and looking forward to the $4 million bump that a home game pumps into the local economy. There was more good news yesterday as the Texas A&M System Board of Regents approved an almost $3 billion (not million) budget for the university system, up almost 9% from last year. That's an extra $243 million. Of that $3 billion, $1.1 billion will be spent at the flagship campus here in College … (1 comments)
aggies: The season for school zones...
- 08/28/07 06:41 AM
Dear readers, Yesterday (Monday), four major institutions began classes in the Brazos Valley, taking traffic in our humble area from the year's minimum to our maximum. Through it all, everyone seemed to get where they needed to go. Bryan and College Station Police were out in force at all of the school zones, and there wasn't much leeway in their speed enforcement. I believe anything over 25 mph received a $300 citation. The primary offenders seemed to be on streets that bisect the high schools. Enforcement aside, I know I'm going to be extra patient and remember that I don't have to be anywhere … (0 comments)
aggies: Let the games begin, and the money roll in...
- 08/27/07 01:00 AM
Happy Monday- Continuing the theme of business in a college town, the City of College Station (TX) released figures last month that indicated that whenever Texas A&M plays a game at home, our local economy gets a $5 million boost. Texas A&M has seven home games scheduled this year, ending with the Thanksgiving classic with the University of Texas on November 23rd. That's a $35 million boost in three months. More digging will discover whether the sale of real estate to old Ags and parents is included in the figure. With Aggies, the money is going to come whether we outscore our opponents or not. … (1 comments)
aggies: Fall in our College Town
- 08/25/07 06:21 AM
As real estate's summer season winds down, retailers here in College Station, Texas are smiling as over 40,000 Aggies return to the Brazos Valley with fall semester cash in hand. Grocery stores are packed with bored fathers, doting mothers and young adults that are ready to kiss the family goodbye and send them down the road, knowing of course that everyone will be back shortly for the first Aggie home game of the season. Rental trucks are parked row after row after drop off and the property management companies and make-ready crews work from dawn to dusk. I think I can speak for … (0 comments)
Musings about life, homes and real estate in College Station and the Brazos Valley. Subjects include College Station and Aggieland real estate, Brazos Valley and College Station real estate market reports, College Station and Bryan events, and comments and stories about flying and sailing.
Dear readers,
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