Little things mean a lot - 06/28/08 02:18 PM
Yesterday we had a closing, and it was one of the ones we all like to have - happy clients, happy sellers, happy buyers, happy agents - great loan officer, smooth transaction.
My clients had been looking on and off for several years, but this spring the planets aligned and it was the right time, so we found the right house. Along the way we became friends - so it's also the beginning.
Then today a florist delivered a vase of beautiful flowers - varied shapes, varied colors - but vivid and alive, just the way I like them. And there … (9 comments)

Teresa Boardman shared coffee with me this morning - 06/28/08 01:50 PM
Teresa Boardman shared coffee with me this morning.
No, she didn't fly down from St Paul to St Petersburg.
I was up early and reading the St. Petersburg Times. When I opened the Home section there was an article on Open Houses titled "Walk right in" that I started reading.
Halfway through the article I had to smile because here was Teresa! The article said,
"Open houses were invented during a time before the Internet, when consumers had to rely on Realtors, yard signs and newspaper ads," says Teresa Boardman, an agent in St. Paul, Minn., and founder of www.stpaulrealestateblog.com. "Those … (9 comments)

Explaining blogging - blog topics - 06/27/08 08:49 PM
This afternoon Tami and I met with the owners of a downtown St Petersburg condo in Bayfront Towers and were talking about internet marketing strategies. They knew what blogging was, in general terms, but didn't understand how that would relate to marketing a property. I was explaining that it's not the same as just saying you have a 3 bedroom condo priced at x, etc - it's about finding points to blog about.
For example, I'd blog about the raised platform in their master bedroom, in the bay window, where they have two comfortable chairs looking out at a magnificent water … (11 comments)

Cyberspace Society Interviews Chris Frerecks - 06/25/08 07:04 PM
The Real Estate Cyberspace Society sends its members monthly tapes with 3 interviews per month. The guests include agents, technology experts, speakers, economists - quite a variety.
The Cyberspace Society blog summarizes their interview with Chris Frerecks of Kinetic Knowledge. If you're a Society member you can also listen online at Cyberspace Radio. If you're not a member and want to join, you can get an invitation here and you're welcome to fill me in as your sponsor.
Topics covered include:
Getting started tips for blogging Blogs vs websites Getting recognized and gaining SEO Creating a brand Why blog? Kinetic Knowledge … (6 comments)

Secret to Happiness - 06/25/08 06:10 PM
Showing condos recently, I found quotations scattered on the walls throughout the condo. I found this one to be interesting.
I once heard that the secret to happiness is not
having what you want
but
wanting what you have.
This quote from Carrie Bradshaw seemed to say the same thing.
One of the things I enjoyed in Bavaria was the saying written on the exterior walls of homes. Here I occasionally find saying written on the interior walls of homes.
Have you found any interesting sayings?
… (7 comments)

Check how internet savvy your agent is - google them - 06/23/08 05:35 PM
Buried near the end of Bill Gassett's post on SEO and business cards is a gem, suggesting that buyers and sellers check out their agent by googling them. If they can't market themselves, how will they market your property? He says there should be several pages of links to the agent.
Compare agents - if you're interviewing 3 agents, google each one of them and compare the results.
You might also want to google your neighborhood or your condo building and see what comes up. Don't bother with the general terms - i.e., "San Francisco real estate" - they are much … (20 comments)

Brazil in St Petersburg this afternoon - 06/22/08 12:26 PM
St Petersburg has lots of cultural festivals, the most known being the annual SPIFFS International Folk Festival, which celebrates the culture, traditions and foods of many nations.
This afternoon is the Brasil Arts Festival at Nova 535 at Dr Martin Luther King St N, St Petersburg. This is their third annual festival and will feature the O Som do Jazz music group. Tampa's Volta ao Mundo will present a demonstration of capoeira, which blends dance and martial arts.
While watching you can enjoy a caipirinha, a Brazilian cocktail made with cachaca, a rumlike liquor.
Visit David Manson and his Brazilian wife … (4 comments)

People Want a Reason - 06/22/08 11:53 AM
Point 2 in Home Business Marketing Lessons from the Homeless Dude was Be Specific - i.e., give a reason. Why should I buy? (Thanks, Marti Garaughty, for linking to this from your post.)
This relates so well to my husband's recent stay in the hospital for a carotid artery "correction". Fortunately he was only there 24 hours as he is NOT a good patient! Everything that anyone did (ask him the same questions on who he was and why he was there) he grumbled about why they were doing that. After surgery, he was so full of grumbling that I actually … (5 comments)

Why is America's #1 Beach in Florida? - 06/22/08 10:26 AM
Caladesi Island State Park Beach, Dunedin, Florida
Because it is.
No, seriously - why not some of the beautiful beaches in Hawaii!  Truth be told, most of America's #1 beaches as named by Dr. Beach since 1991 ARE in Hawaii - the first one, Kapalua Bay Beach, and 11 others - so Hawaii has had 2/3 of the top beaches. But now to the reason they're not #1 now ...
According to the rules of Dr. Beach, once a beach has been #1, it is excluded from consideration in future years (it does make some sense - after all, who would … (2 comments)

SnagIt 9.0 is ready - 06/21/08 07:21 PM
SnagIt is a screen capture program, though it does far more than just print and save a screen, that has just released it's Verson 9.0
I've used several earlier versions and use it many times a day - well worth its $49.95 cost ($19.95 to upgrade). The new version simplifies both capture and distribution, and has some easy ways to combine images and documents.
SnagIt 9.0
also has a free trial, so download it and play with it for a few weeks. There are 15 online videos that make learning it very simple. The results, however, are anything but simple.
… (4 comments)

The Middle-Class Millionaire - 06/21/08 07:10 PM
For an enjoyable and informative book, try
The Middle-Class Millionaire
by Russ Alan Prince and Lewis Schiff. It's easy reading and does point out some interesting sociological observations. Pleasing the highest net worth individuals isn't going to get you the viral marketing you're looking for - target the market just below that. The Middle-Class Millionaire is much more likely to refer you to colleagues and friends.
Read the values of the Middle-Class Millionaire, and learn how they differ from the Middle Class. There are certainly enough points for you to consider who and where you want to target your marketing.
Get … (4 comments)

Luxury Market Update - Pinellas County, Florida - May 2008 - 06/21/08 07:02 PM
Good news in the luxury market for Pinellas County, Florida. May 2008 had the record high single family home sale at $10,250,000. May 2008 had more single family luxury home sales in May than any other month this year, at all luxury price points: $1-5 Million, $5-10 Million, and over $10 Million. The number of homes going to contract increased 25% in May. View Sharon's State of the Market Luxury Market Report for Pinellas County, Florida, May 2008 for more details.
 
… (0 comments)

Pinellas County Single Family Homes Market Update through May 2008 - 06/21/08 06:57 PM
The number of single family sold in Pinellas County, Florida has been rising each month of this year. Prices, however, are back at the levels of 2003. Here's a chart from the Pinellas Realtor Organization:For a more detailed report go to our website.
Interest rates have started to rise, so this may be a good time to buy. For an assessment of whether it's right for YOU to buy now, please contact The Simms Team at RE/MAX Metro.
… (0 comments)

What???? Helping International Clients - 06/21/08 11:08 AM
We often take for granted that prospective buyers should think in sq ft and US $ - but we're making it very difficult for them if we don't offer a way to convert those on our website.
Today LuxuryProperty.com had a post on a new record price set for luxury real estate in Mumbai. The post says that the condo sold for
1.25 lakh a sq ft
surpassing a record of
Rs 1.20 a square foot.
OK - let's go to a currency converter.  Scroll down to India and you get INR (indian Rupees). Well, maybe that equates to Rs.  What's … (13 comments)

Are Brokers' Opens Working? - 06/21/08 10:49 AM
Yesterday we held a Broker's Open House at this property. In addition to flyers and e-mails announcing the Open (sent individually to each agent with a listing or sale in a similar price range) we made personal phone calls to agents we knew (and liked) who might have buyers for the property. The property is listed at $1,098,000.
We had 13 agents attend the Brokers Open - which is quite good, in our area. The ones that came, came because of our phone calls. Two of them will be contacting prospective buyers. We're so deluged with emails, notices, postings, etc. that … (49 comments)

Phil Graham Studio - 06/20/08 07:24 PM
Phil Graham is a landscape architect that has been a St Petersburg icon for many years. In December he was purchased by and merged into ValleyCrest Design Group. Phil has moved from his location at 436 Second St N. in downtown St Petersburg to this new location at 646 Second Avenue South. As you can see, workers are still putting on the finishing touches.
 
ValleyCrest Design has built several of Phil Graham's designs over the years, so it seems only appropriate to merge. ValleyCrest has an excellent idea in keeping small "Studios" that perpetuate the local landscape architect in a … (0 comments)

The value's in the land - even at $100 Million - 06/20/08 05:27 PM
Trump's estate in Palm Beach is reported to be selling to Russian fertilizer billionaire, Dmitry Rybolovlev, through one of his investment companies, for close to the $100 Million asking price - a record residential sale for Palm Beach. Rumor has it that the buyer will be tearing down the 33,000 sq ft mansion that Trump has been renovating for the past few years. Obviously the value is in the 6.5 acres with 475 ft on the Atlantic Ocean.
We have a property in St Petersburg, listed for a mere $1 Million, where the value is also in the land. This house … (7 comments)

The Exotic Plumeria - 06/18/08 07:40 PM
Today I took my husband over to The Exotic Plumeria, a plumeria nursery in Seffner, Florida - just east of Tampa, and about a 40 minute drive from St Petersburg.
Some of the plumeria in my yard came from this nursery, but I'd never been over to see it.
Yes, here in Florida, they grow over 200 varieties of plumeria! They even ship to Hawaii, believe it or not.
They sell wholesale and retail, from cutting to trees twice as tall as I am.
Alan Bunch, whose interest turned to a hobby to a business to a passion, was there and … (15 comments)

How our team relieves stress - 06/18/08 07:07 PM
Kristal Kraft posted a solution to stress relief. Hers is one you can do online - our team needs one that's more physical as well as mental:
Each of us keeps some stress reliever "toys" in our desk drawer -
the house you can squeeze, the beanbag you can squish - the kinds of things you can usually get free at trade shows. Our key, though, is not to just squeeze or squish them ...
When one of us gets out of line, we throw one at them. If one of us is REALLY bad, the other three throw simultaneously from … (9 comments)

Guaranteed Sunshine - 06/03/08 04:21 PM
Wouldn't it be nice if we could guarantee sunshine for relocation trips, slowings and vacations? Sadly, we can't, even though St Petersburg is nicknamed The Sunshine City and the evening newspaper used to give away free newspapers on any day without sunhine.
Priceline, however, has just announced "Sunshine Guaranteed" vacation packages (100+ destinations, including rainy London). Book this, and they offer a 100% refund if it rains more than half an inch a day on half or more of the days, including travel days. Refund includes cost of airfare, hotel, rental car, attractions and services which were in the package.
Like … (11 comments)

Where are you when you blog? - 06/03/08 11:06 AM
Do you blog from your office? from home?
Consider blogging out in public. Pick a location - outside, if possible, where your existing clients might be passing by, so that you can chat.
Consider blogging in a location where there are relocating prospects, who might notice your nametag (which of course you're wearing).
Take your coffee break outside in a sidewalk cafe or at a local spot with outside tables or at a Starbucks where you can see and be seen.
While we're doing our virtual prospecting we can also be doing subtle prospecting of being seen.
Tami and I have … (12 comments)

 
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Sharon Simms St Pete FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS

Saint Petersburg, FL

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ALVA International, Inc.

Address: 238 Beach Drive NE, St Petersburg, FL, 33701

Office Phone: (727) 898-2582

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