Real estate blog entries tagged with howto

Blog entries tagged with "howto":

howto: Real Estate Blog - A Rookie at Blogging - 09/13/08 02:30 PM

Let's give this a go.... Not sure how a blog is going to assist my business but thought I would at least get something going on this rainy day, in Minnesota. I think summer is over and we are definately transitioning into Fall.
I've glanced at a few other blogs and wow....some … (5 comments)

howto: Website Savvy! - 08/15/08 05:30 PM

I just had to post this as an encouragement to everyone that wants to make a website for their real estate business but are a little timid about stepping out there and actually doing it. I had no idea how to create a domain name much less what it meant to … (22 comments)

howto: Localism - How to Add Photos & Why Quality is Essential - 08/04/08 11:05 AM

As Localism.com begins the climb up the search engines to be the "World's Most Complete NeighborPedia", remember the value and importance of using quality pictures, titles, and descriptions. Like anything you put on the Internet, SEO is important. Did you know your photos get SEO? And there's more than just SEO to … (250 comments)

howto: How To Make Market Graphs For Your Blog - 07/20/08 01:24 PM

This is long over due. Ever since I posted a blog on how to use Microsoft Excel to create market graphs, I have been thinking about doing an instructional video for Active Rain members. Finally, I have it posted!
If you have been wondering if you could be posting useful charts … (35 comments)

howto: How often should you clean your gutters? - 06/24/08 08:34 AM

Gutters should be kept free of plant material, dirt and debris at all times to allow water to travel freely to the downspouts and splash guards. How often you will have to remove debris to keep the channel open depends on nearby vegetation, including trees, and the time of year. Some … (1 comments)

howto: For My Office - 06/19/08 09:35 AM

Keller Williams Fayetteville Team members - here are the links as promised for Today's Tech Moment. Hope they are useful to you and that while you are here you will check out Active Rain, its addictive. For more great videos check out CommonCraft.com!
RSS in Plain English
Whats So Great About … (2 comments)

howto: 4RealzEd Day 25: Getting Featured - 05/23/08 12:11 PM

During our Week of ActiveRain, we covered a lot of ground! Including:
Comment on Blog Posts Writing a Blog Post Inserting Widgets into Your Blog Engage with Groups For the final day, I'd like to bring the various pieces together by explaining a bit about what makes AR tick.Points! With … (11 comments)

howto: 4RealzEd Day 24: Engage with an ActiveRain Group - 05/22/08 03:33 AM

Today, I'm going to cover two parts of ActiveRain: Groups and Associations ActiveRain Groups Not only is ActiveRain one big real estate community, but it is filled with many sub-communities interested in specific issues. You can find "groups" dedicated to just about any real estate topic. To see what I mean, … (4 comments)

howto: How to know if your web site has been indexed by Google and Yahoo! - 04/29/08 07:17 PM

Over at Doug Fritchie's blog he wrote a post called "Google vs. Yahoo - Day and Night"
Doug asked a few questions about why his site had not been indexed by Yahoo, when he had been by Google. First of all lets remember that it takes time for your site to get … (53 comments)

howto: Free Flip Video Ultra Digital Secrets for Real Estate Professionals - 04/10/08 11:08 PM

There have been a ton of posts on ActiveRain about the Flip Video... some good, some not so good.
Make no mistake... this little camera is a weapon that can make the difference in whether your site or blog is a pit-stop or a destination on the information superhighway.But it can be … (3 comments)

howto: How NOT to Post a Blog - 04/08/08 11:49 AM

NOTE: PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOW-UP TO THIS POST TO FIND OUT HOW TO CHANGE FONT STYLE, COLOR, SIZE, ETC. IN YOUR BLOG POST!
Which of the examples below is more readable? They both contain the exact same copy (words), but are done in different styles. (You may want to save your eyes … (170 comments)

howto: How to Use The Flip Video Camera with Your Computer - 04/08/08 09:32 AM

I have received many calls and emails with questions and comments regarding the "Flip Video" camera. I decided to create some "How To" posts for both the Video Camera and the Mixpo.com Editing and Production Console. This post will cover all you need to know about the Flip Video, and how … (109 comments)

howto: Synthesizer Fundamentals - 04/08/08 06:09 AM

So I usually write about real estate. But every so often I get burned out on real estate and write about something a little bit different.
While many timbres, like those which come from bowed strings and woodwinds, are readily recreated with synthesizers, percussive instruments are some of the most … (1 comments)

howto: Keyword Basics - You May be Missing the Boat! - 03/21/08 04:21 PM

Keyword Basics - You May be Missing the Boat!  Did you know that virtually every top-ranking site is centered a few single keyword … (24 comments)

howto: Synthesizer Fundamentals:Snare Drum - 03/03/08 10:27 PM

Analog synthesizers have regained some degree of popularity in recent years, as electronic dance music has become more widespread and successful. Although analog technology has become replaced by cheaper digital modeling technology with more features, the goal of VA (virtual analog) synthesis is to be able to recreate the warmth and … (0 comments)

howto: How To Set-Up Your Active Rain Profile - 03/03/08 11:07 AM

Now that you were invited, or found and signed up on Active Rain, here are the "STEP-by-STEP" instructions on how to set-up your Profile. This is the First Step in maximizing the value and benefits of your FREE membership here!
STEP 1 - BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
You'll always want to be sure … (102 comments)

howto: How to Fix a Hole in a Wall - 02/29/08 02:19 AM

Perhaps the most common home repair is fixing a hole in the wall. When I was young, my grandfather would baby sit my brothers and I while mom and dad were of earning a living. What our parents called child care, my grandfather interpreted as napping and most afternoons we had … (3 comments)

howto: Larry the Cable Guy? Nope, I can "Get er done" myself... - 02/28/08 07:29 PM

A great article to check out by the Charlotte Observer, this piece has the top 10 things you should know how to fix in your home to save the money and often time of bringing somebody in. Just about anybody can handle these tasks once you know how and it'll certainly … (0 comments)

howto: Great website for DIYers and just about anyone else - 02/28/08 11:48 AM

I've just discovered (well, maybe "discovered" is too strong a term; let's say I was informed of...) a terrific website. Its eHow.com, and it offers a ton of informative articles and how-to's on everything from home repair to landscaping to how to peel a pomegranate. The 'net is an often over-used … (1 comments)

howto: DIY Home Improvement - How To Install Kitchen Cabinets - 02/27/08 03:08 PM

Consistently improving on your home is one of the best investments you can make. Nothing makes your home more appealing to buyers than shiny new things. Pretty surfaces, modern technology, and up-to-date decor will bring out the checkbooks every time.
Sometimes these improvements can really get expensive though, so when it's an option, … (4 comments)

howto: Should Rental Properties be Titled in My Personal Name? - 02/15/08 03:27 PM

Great question posted on LinkedIN Answers today.
The scenario is that a military serviceman has been purchasing homes as a primary residence, with primary residence mortgage terms. In 2-3 years, the military relocates him and instead of selling that house, he keeps it as investment property. But now he is … (0 comments)

howto: Moving With Pets - A Great wikiHow - 01/15/08 02:46 PM

Making a long-distance move can be a huge stress on us, as anyone who's done it can attest to. But what about our pets?
I think it's easy in the chaos of a move, to neglect the needs of everyone else. What we have to realize is that if it's stressful … (2 comments)

howto: Installing Kitchen Cabinets - A wikiHow - 01/11/08 09:34 PM

As most of us know, one of the quickest ways to increase the value of your homeis in updating your kitchen and bathrooms, and, if done correctly, doing the work yourself can save you a lot of expense, which ultimately increases your bottom line. With this in mind, I'm always searching for useful … (0 comments)

howto: Historical Homes in OKC - Was Yours Built With a Sears Kit? - 01/03/08 11:43 PM

Did you know that it wasn't uncommon in the early 1900s for folks to order a home building kit from Sears and build their own home? It's true!
I've heard these stories for years but personally have never known of a home that was actually built this way, at least not one that … (8 comments)

howto: How to resize several images in a single click - Video Tutorial - 11/29/07 09:02 AM

In real estate, resizing and editing photos is part of the job but it can be a tedious process ... especially if you have several photos. I have created a video tutorial that will show you how to use Microsoft power toys to resize multiple images in a single click. Watch … (4 comments)

howto: How I made a video slideshow in 5 minutes - 09/22/07 03:18 PM

I made the video slideshow below online in less than 5 minutes-including posting it onto my blog! And it was free! I made it using Animoto, a FREE video slideshow making tool online. While I don't think these would be that good for trying to show off a property as they … (16 comments)

howto: Adding the BlogRush Traffic Builder to your ActiveRain blog: Step-by-Step - 09/20/07 07:21 PM

A few people having problems getting BlogRush onto their blogs have asked me for some help... If you need it too, here it is:
To add BlogRush to your ActiveRain blog, here are the steps:
Open a browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, whichever) and go to the BlogRush site (http://www.blogrush.com/r92794589).Open another browser and … (8 comments)

howto: More traffic than your blog can handle? And it's free? - 09/20/07 04:43 PM

I just posted this to a forum on blogging and thought the 'greater blog community' might benefit from it also.
That's one of the postings I read about BlogRush. I've decided to give it a shot. The price is right (it's free).
BlogRush is a 'widget' that you place on your blog. … (1 comments)

howto: Determine Property Taxes Before Purchase - 09/16/07 12:34 AM

What will be the amount of the annual property tax? - is among the first questions frequently asked by many potential property Buyers.
This article discusses the technique for gathering information regarding tax rates and the method of calculating the property tax that will be assessed the buyer of a property. … (1 comments)

howto: Using the Treo and your email account - Tutorial - how-to - 08/24/07 10:58 AM

Hello everyone,I created a new tutorial to show Treo Users how to setup the Treo to receive and send email using any POP account.I start with instructions on how to set up an email address if you have a goddady account, but this is not necessary.
You can use your Google or … (2 comments)

howto: How to Install a Sprinkler System - 07/31/07 09:50 PM

I just love wikiHow. For those of you who haven't stumbled across this great website yet, it's a nifty little resource for all kinds of how-to jobs. It's also a great place to show off what you know by creating and posting your own how-to articles. I have a little DIY … (5 comments)

howto: Gift Getting and Mortgages – A How-To - 07/20/07 11:32 AM

So you are going to buy that first home. You found the right house, a little fixing up and painting required, but the layout and location are just right. The sales price is in your range and you know you can handle the new payment. Now it's just a matter of … (2 comments)

howto: Outer Beauty is a MUST - Part I - 07/02/07 12:01 AM

These days home-improvement is big business. As a country, we're investing more in improving our homes than we are in the stock market, retirement accounts and savings accounts. In general, such improvements provide a great return on our investments. Kitchens and bathrooms are probably the most commonly improved areas in our … (9 comments)

howto: Links to Formulas (How-To) in Microsoft Excel - 06/09/07 11:09 AM

As with many professionals, I belong to many groups that cater to small businesses and others within my industry. One of the most common questions that I see asked within these groups are regarding the use of formulas in Microsoft Excel to calculate or achieve certain results. Formulas can be used … (1 comments)

howto: Using Mail Merge for all of your Marketing Needs - 06/09/07 11:09 AM

Mail Merge is a very useful feature of the Microsoft Office system that can save a great deal of time and heartache for any business small or large. In my own business, I use the mail merge feature at least once a week for myself and for client projects. For … (3 comments)

howto: Time for a Fresh Look - 04/10/07 12:10 AM

It's Spring! At least according to the calendar it is. Here in the suburbs of Philadelphia we are still waiting for proof in the form of good weather. It just seems backwards that we should have a sunny, 70 degree day for the Mummers Parade in January and a snowy, 35 … (1 comments)

howto: The difference between Alt-A and subprime? Understand where they go after closing - 03/14/07 12:18 PM

Mortgage Backed Securities PRIMER - to understand where the different 100% financing programs go...
A Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) is essentially a group of loans (often called a pool) that have similar characteristics. 500 Fixed-Rate, FHA loans would be pooled together and issued into a MBS but you wouldn't see a couple of JUMBO loans … (8 comments)

howto: Waiting on that new home to be built? 5 things you should do - 03/12/07 12:24 PM

For many home-buyers, a new property is an exciting way of going into a new home. There has been a tremendous increase in first-time homebuyers who started with new construction homes. Because of this, you may not be sure of what to do while the home is being built. Here are … (3 comments)

howto: Just How Do We Earn Our Keep? - 01/21/07 12:02 AM

I read with great interest other folks' postings on what they do to earn their keep. Following is Part 1 of what I do for my clients. Hey, it's why we get the big bucks ;)
This complete list was originally published by the Orlando Regional Realtor Association
Pre-Listing Work
1. Make appointment with … (1 comments)

howto: What If I Have No Credit Score? - 12/19/06 09:21 AM

Credit scores, primarily FICO scores are the predominant method of making a CREDIT decision on a mortgage loan applicant. Some loan programs rely specifically on the credit score, such as:Alt-A or Expanded Criteria Loans: These are loans for people who can't verify income or employment80/20 loans: programs to buy a home … (2 comments)

howto: Interest Rate DOES Matter - 12/14/06 05:21 PM

I was inspired to write this blog after reading Scott Gormley's "Going Beyond 'The Rate...'" post from earlier today. Scott's point is that there is much more to selecting a lender than determining the interest rate that lender has to offer. And I agree...up to a point. The problem is that … (15 comments)

howto: FHA Sales Special on Existing HUD-owned Homes Through December - 12/10/06 09:09 PM

During the "FHA Brings the Holidays Home" sales event, homebuyers who purchase a HUD-owned home and finance the purchase with an FHA-insured loan will be entitled to valuable sales incentives including: $2,500 Holiday Home Improvement Allowance $500 Selling Broker Bonus Minimum Required Downpayment of Only $100 The sales promotion runs from … (0 comments)

howto: Can You Get a Loan For This? "For Sale: Fantastic 5/2/3 with Ferrari in Garage!" - 11/22/06 02:25 PM

WASHINGTON - In the eyes of lenders, the new cars and other "concessions" that sellers are dangling in front of buyers have a dollar value that should be accounted for by the appraiser when determining the true market value of the property. If the appraiser does his work properly, the mortgage … (1 comments)

howto: Is There a Mortgage Loan For People With No Credit History? - they exist and they are affordable - 11/22/06 02:03 PM

Mortgage Loan Programs for people with no credit history do exist and many of these programs are very affordable. This article was written to explain what options you have for buying a home today, even if you have not established a credit history or credit score.Home buyers may fear qualifying for a home loan if … (2 comments)

howto: REALTORS® - 4 ways you can help the closing go smoothly - 09/29/06 04:39 PM

I’m often pleasantly surprised to hear Realtors tell me how smoothly the loan closing was when attending one of my mortgage closings. As a mortgage lender we are responsible for getting the loan documents and funds to the closing table. When brokering a loan, the loan officer doesn’t have control over the actual lender sending the documents … (1 comments)

howto: Pay Option Arms - Suicide in a Mortgage Loan - 09/05/06 09:54 PM

An article on the Pay Option Arm appeared on-line today at BusinessWeek Online and it sheds some light on this loan program. Pay Option Arms came into vogue in 2003 and 2004 when fixed interest rates started to increase but these loans were still offering low introductory or initial fixed rates. How? … (17 comments)

howto: Shopping for a mortgage on-line, a how-to guide - 09/05/06 08:09 PM

Mortgage "SPAM" is the junk e-mail marketing approach of my industry, the mortgage lending business. As owner of AMC-TradeMark Financial it pains me to see the direction our competitors are taking with their marketing. The effect is an overall diminishing respect for mortgage professionals in addition to increased confusion of the general … (6 comments)

howto: Buying a home in a mandatory Homeowner's Association? What to ask - 09/05/06 07:39 PM

I visited with Ben Capelle who is a real estate attorney in Dallas, TX. Among other clients, Ben represents several Home Owner's Assocations so his knowledge in this area is very extensive. Many people in north Texas purchase homes that are subject to mandatory HOA guidelines, membership and restrictions. Unfortunately, few … (0 comments)

howto: Tutorial: Viewing Active Rain Blogs on Your Phone - 08/23/06 09:28 PM

Brace yourselves, here is the next edition of a howto using RSS.
Presenting Active Rain on the Go!
This is for users who have Palm or Windows smartphones, for other phones mileage may vary.
Step 1: Sign up at AvantGo for an account.
AvantGo is a service that allows you to get web content … (6 comments)

howto: Tutorial: including your Active Rain Blog in your own website: - 08/23/06 10:27 AM

First let me preface this by saying that the only way to really achieve this on your website is if you have direct access to edit the HTML on your site.
Ok having said that, the concept here is relatively simple. We are going to use the feed URL that points … (13 comments)

howto: What is a Moblog, what does it do? (or moblogs unleashed) - 07/23/06 01:21 PM

Imagine being able to write and post informative blog articles from anywhere you get wireless service. This does not involve logging onto some small-screened internet with your phone. It is as simple as writing an email.
A Moblog is a mobile blog. They have been around for quite a while now, so … (6 comments)

howto: Producing a homegrown podcast. (in 10 steps or less) - 07/18/06 03:36 PM

Here is a friendly rundown of how to make your own podcast.
1) Gather the necessary supplies: 1 Computer, 1 Computer Microphone, 1 set of head phones.
2) Download and install audio editing software such as Audacity for PC, or Garageband for Mac.
3) Find some podcast safe music for bumper intro and outtro … (15 comments)