Wordless Wednesday: Portrait of a Happy Cat - 09/15/10 10:32 PM

 
This is one of our cats, Charlie.  I used Photofunia, the neat program William Johnson wrote about in a post a few days ago.  It's free and has all kinds of effects.  I thought it was fun to take a photo of Charlie and make it really look like a portrait.

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction.
 
"Happy clients make me happy."
 
For all your real estate needs or questions, call me … (16 comments)

have you ever noticed these clever logos? - 09/14/10 07:00 PM
Have you ever noticed these clever logos? I have read a number of articles about subliminal marketing and the design of logos that carry a message.  We should be aware of the illustrations we use in our marketing as well.  Whether it is good vs. poor listing photos or pictures of happy people or a for sale sign that has a "Sold" rider - these all send a message without our having to put it into words. Here are some of my favorites. Baskin Robbins, as we all know, has 31 flavors. The B and R also form the number 31. … (12 comments)

How did I get so many points? I earned them! - 09/13/10 03:49 PM
I have been asked again how I managed to garner so many points.  Points do matter, but they are not my main reason for blogging, and perhaps that is part of why I have gotten them.  I can tell when people blog or comment just for the points.  They don't put much thought into what they are writing, and their posts are either just reblogs or something they are reprinting from some other source. There was one fellow a couple of years ago (he has since disappeared from AR) who used to write 10 posts a week, but each post was … (14 comments)

Speechless Sunday: Self portrait on MLS? - 09/13/10 12:46 AM
There have been so many posts about bad listing photos that I hesitate to add another, but I saw this photo on our MLS today and it made me laugh.  Think it's a self portrait?  Or is this supposed to show us the kind of camera used to take the pictures?
                    
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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction.
"Happy clients make me happy."
For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916)705-8951 or visit … (17 comments)

Do You Have Time To Waste? Then Send In That Low Short Sale Offer! - 09/10/10 07:04 PM
 
Wendy wrote a great post about something that is a pet peeve of mine too.  When we list short sales, we try to come as close as possible to the amount we think the bank can be convinced to take.  That figure might be only about 50% of what it is owed, and can be a difficult thing to achieve.  Then a buyer comes along and wants to cut that figure in half.  I advise my sellers not to accept that offer. 
Contrary to what some folks believe, it DOES make a difference to the seller - especially if … (5 comments)

Important tips for the safety of Realtors and their clients - 09/10/10 01:25 PM
The new issue of California Real Estate magazine has an important reminder about safety for Realtors and for their clients too, since September is REALTOR® Safety Month.  Not many professions expect you to invite strangers into your car to drive to a vacant home with them.  there are also open houses to consider. Now, I do have my own list of things that I do to protect myself without making a fuss about them.  I've found that if you act all nervous and afraid of your clients, you will put them ill at ease and you won't be doing business with … (8 comments)

Don't let your marketing be boring! - 09/07/10 06:18 PM
Every six months or so I get a postcard from a fellow Realtor who does a little (very little) marketing in the neighborhood where I live.  I'd like to call her and ask if she actually gets any calls from those cards.
The cards she uses are on a very lightweight cream or pale yellow colored "cardstock" that is about the weight and feel of construction paper, and there is a generic message in a boring black font that talks about her experience and asks for people to call her for more information -- no art or photo. 
They … (26 comments)

Are you a good coach to help your clients win the real estate game? - 09/07/10 12:04 AM
I was reading an article written a few years ago by one of my favorite motivators:  Lou Holtz, the legendary former head football coach at the University of Notre Dame.  One passage in particular struck me as especially wonderful.  It is about setting a higher standard.  He said: "Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability.  The higher you set the standard for yourself, the higher the self-image.  ... There are only two types of leaders:  those who believe in themselves and lift others up and those with a poor self-image who pull everybody down.  "If you're in … (8 comments)

You can stage a vacant listing for free! - 09/04/10 09:48 PM
This weekend a very nice couple is moving into one of my listings in Carmichael California as "home managers."  They have put the utilities in their names, their responsibility is to keep the home and yard showing-ready, and I no longer have to worry about protecting the home against vandalism or going over to water the lawn, sweep the patio or try to get the lawns mowed and windows washed!
The home managers will stage the home with their own pre-approved furniture, and they must leave the home for showings with no more than 1/2 hour notice (instead of the … (15 comments)

My love of open houses - part deux! - 09/02/10 06:45 PM
This is a follow-up on my last post.  It can be considered part 2 (or part deux, I guess).  I wrote a post yesterday about why I like open houses, and among the comments were a number of questions asking for more information on what I do.  I started to answer all the questions raised in the comments and realized it was getting to be longer than the post!  So I will do a follow-up post to answer those questions and comments.To answer a few of the questions raised, I do advertise on Craigs List, and in the on line classified … (11 comments)

I'll say it again: Open houses are great! - 09/01/10 03:07 PM
I'll say it again:  Open houses are great!As often as I have gained clients and sales from open houses (both buyers and sellers as well as buyers of the open house), I still have other agents tell me that they don't work.  In order to make them work, you have to make them work!  There have been many posts by agents who love open houses.  But there have been a few posts on Active Rain by agents who don't like open houses.As I think you know if you have read many of my posts, I am a big fan of open … (34 comments)

 
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Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA and Sacramento County Real Estate Broker, CA DRE#686562

Fair Oaks, CA

More about me…

Century 21 Noel David Realty

Address: 7976 California Ave, Fair Oaks, CA, 95628

Office Phone: (916) 705-8951

Cell Phone: (916) 705-8951

Email Me






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