Melissa's Blog

I have to add in my ROCK Compilation... working on an older rock Compiliation

2008-03-12T22:47:13Z

I hope you like this compilation as well!

Another music era.. Who loves the 80's Compilation not finished

2008-03-12T22:43:38Z

~I love all music, but this genre is my favorite~

2008-03-12T22:35:50Z

I hope you enjoy this!

~Melissa~

I'm sure I'm not the only one

2008-03-12T21:26:52Z

Hey there everybody!

You know I told you I don't do real estate transaction of any type. Let me amend that, I have never sold a home nor closed a loan since I have been licensed. I kind of got the license because my first Appraiser Trainer asked me to be licensed and take the classes so I could understand the industry better not to mention he himself was also a broker.

All that aside, I told myself I would help my family or friends with their transactions if and when they needed it. So here I am performing my first sale for my sister. The property itself seems to be a short sale and I would love it someone could explain it properly to me. I spoke to a broker friend and she told me that it was in the pre-forclosure stage and you only have so many days before it is foreclosed on.

The next hurtle I am facing is the sales agent for this property. There are 2 of them and they really lag on getting back to me and they are very tight lipped about getting any information so I can finish writing the offer and submitting it to them. It took over 2 days to return my calls and then I had to blow up their phones. I just wanted to find out how much time we had left, if there isn't enough time then I would just move on to the next property.. blah blah blah.. can anyone enlighten me on why an agent wouldn't want to get their listing sold.

To be honest I'm helping my sister because its about time she moves out of my parents house.. LOL. I just want to get this moving because my father is excited that she's leaving and wants to get on with the repairs on his own home once she leaves. Is there any tips on how I can get the selling agent(s) to move faster or become a little more cooperative with me? and out of curiousity why would an agent act in such a way. If I actually had listings and someone came along willing to help me sell them.. I would be like.. please do.. take MY MLS key and go for it! I don't know, I guess I'm just a little frustrated with how slow the other agents have responded and really want my sister to get this property.

Ok, so how do you think I should handle tommorows meeting? I love being nice, but I don't want to be led around in circles. (which is one of the biggest reasons I don't sell homes in a the first place) So, any kind words? or ideas would be helpful... Oh yeah and if someone could please explain to me what an REO and a short sale is, that would be helpful as well... In laymen terms too, because I am still a baby when it comes to this industry!

Thanks again Oh Realty gods of Active Rain! ;)

Much appreciated

True stories to warm the heart and soul!

2008-03-12T12:30:59Z

I thought these were great stories.

Two Great Stories - BOTH TRUE - and worth reading!
(Read the second one all the way to the end.)

STORY NUMBER ONE
Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago.
Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was
notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything
from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.

Capone had a lawyer nicknamed 'Easy Eddie.' He was
his lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good!
In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big
Al out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well.
Not only was the money big, but also, Eddie got
special dividends. For instance, he and his family
occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all
of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so
large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave
little consideration to the atrocity that went on
around him. Eddie did have on soft spot, however. He
had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that
his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education.
Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And,
despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie
even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie
wanted his on to be a better man than he was. Yet,
with all his wealth and influence, there were two
things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a
good name or a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision.
Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done. He
decided he would go to the authorities and tell the
truth about Al 'Scarface' Capone, clean up his
tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of
integrity. To do this, he would have to testify
against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be
great!

So, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie's life
ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago
Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the
greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price
he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a
rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem
clipped from a magazine. The poem read:

The clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
At late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in time.
For the clock may soon be still.

STORY NUMBER TWO
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was
Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter
pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in
the South Pacific. One day his entire squadron was
sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked
at his fuel gage and realized that someone had
forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have
enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to
his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the
carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and
headed back to the fleet.

As he was returning to his mother ship he saw
something that turned his blood cold: a squadron of
Japanese aircraft was speeding their way toward the
American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a
sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He
couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in
time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet
of the approaching danger.

There was only one thing to do. He must somehow
divert them from the fleet. Laying aside all thoughts
of personal safety, he dove into the formation of
Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as
he charge in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and
then another. Butch wove in and out the now broken
formation and fired at as many planes as possible
until all his ammunition was finally spent.
Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the
planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of
damaging as many enemy planes as possible and
rendering them unfit to fly.

Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in
another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and
his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon
arrival, he reported in and related the event
surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera
mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the
extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet.
He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.

This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that
action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II,
and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional
Medal of Honor.

A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the
age of 29.

His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II
hero to fade and today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is
named in tribute to the courage of this great man.

So, the next time you find yourself at O'Hare
International, give some thought to visiting Butch's
memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor.
It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.

SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH
OTHER?

Butch O'Hare was 'Easy Eddie's' son.

I hope all of you have a wonderful day

~Melissa~

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but since were here we might as well dance!

Hello, I'm new to active rain

2008-03-11T23:28:56Z

Well hello to you the reader of this blog. My name is Melissa Gano-Smalley and I am new to this site. I wish I had something stunning to say about myself or my business but nothing comes to mind. What I can tell you is that I am hard working, I actually do research many data basis to get the best and most accurate information to better serve my clients.

How about a little about myself? I have a real estate license and have worked as a sales agent/loan agent in the past so I understand the process on both ends. But soon realized as time went on, how should I put this? I did not possess the skills to be successful in sales or loans. I have discovered that I am much better suited to the appraisal aspect of the industry and enjoy my job immensely. Not only do I get to travel around the state of California, I get to meet new people all the time and I have a passion for architecture.

I have been in the real estate and appraisal industry since 2002. I like you, have to keep up my on going education every two years and I attend many seminars and classes which keep me up to date on all new laws and regulations in accordance with USPAP standards.

Prior to the Real Estate Appraisal Field I worked in the Bio-Tech industry for 8 years, although I still have an affinity for the sciences I found it hard to spend time with my daughter and found that I missed so much of her youth due to the 10-14 hour days I spent at work sometimes 7 days a week depending on the project we were working on at that time. So I went back to college and got my degree in the Computer Sciences and then the crash hit! What was a working mother like me too do?

I set up shop and opened my own IT Solutions business. I was called out by a friend training to be an appraiser because the owner was having some computer issues and needed his office brought into the 21'st century and have all the computers networked. As our conversation progressed with the owner (whom was also a broker) told us he liked the way we worked and offered to take us under his wing.. The rest is history...

My husband and I became licensed Real Estate Appraisers and sales agents. So there you have it. My history into the field of Real Estate Appraising and real estate. I wish I could express how much I enjoy my being an appraiser and how I enjoy the tedious research but there are no words in which could capture what appraising means to me. Well I hope that this introduction was out of the ordinary and has captured your attention.

I am hoping to add some fancy links to my page which will enable the reader to access useful information regarding the Real Estate Field and keep you up to date on new trends in the market and where we sit when it comes to property values. (At least in the state of California)

I will also be adding some helpful hints on the appraisal process for those of you who may not understand the process we appraisers must go through to complete an assignment. Again I hope that this has been an interesting introduction and if you should have any questions, any questions at all.. (no question is too small) I hope you don't hesitate to ask it of me. Now be forwarned I may not have the answer to some of the more complicated ones but I will try my best to answer to the best of my ability.

Thank you!

Melissa Gano-Smalley

The Appraisers Group

Ph: 707-720-8217

Fax: 707-402-6440

Url: www.theappraisersgroup.com

melissa@theappraisersgroup.com