Tina's My Handyman Blog

Hurry Up and Whoa, the Underwriter Said ...

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:48:58 -0700

Are you getting a steady stream of home financing letters? My mailbox is starting to fill up with mortgage offers (3 or more offers each week) and catalogs I haven't seen in a while. The questions though, is who can you really trust? I'm ready to refinance my home but ...

Every once in a while I get to jump in with a personal story and today is one of those days. We started the refi process with our existing mortgage company GMAC, who I've liked because in the past they held their loans versus flipping them. I live in a wonderful condex in Hampton, NH ... with views of the harbor, and a short walk to the ocean beach. Our condex is 2 units and now I'm wordering why there are condo docs when there are no condo fees? The day before closing, GMAC left a message that it's another $2,000 for the "condo penalty". If you want to learn what this is about, read Condo Financing Comes with a BIG Penalty.

I'm worried that the home financing industry is already back to its tricks, and I've read so many horror stories on ActiveRain, I'm really not sure what to expect. My question for folks here at Active Rain is what % of your deals:

Closing on original schedule?
Closing after one or more delays?
Never getting to closing?

Will keep you posted on whether I get a deal I'm willing to go with or switch loan companies.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Drywall Repairs: Practice with Peanut Butter

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:53:01 -0800

Applying drywall mud is like spreading peanut butter?

You spread joint compound with a taping knife. Your goal is a smooth coating, to hide the seams joining 2 pieces of sheet rock along with the screws or nails used to hang the drywall. The smaller putty knife is used for repairing small dings and holes in the wall.

When making a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, you spread the peanut butter and your favorite jelly with a butter knife. You've got steak knives for cutting steak.

Homeowners might think contractors speak a foreign language ... and they're right, sort of. We forget that what we know and the skills we have are those we've learned somewhere along the way - school, on the job, school of hard knocks. We forget where we learn things although I often think out kids must be overwhelmed with things because life seems much more complicated today than when I grew up.

Home repairs aren't fun, exciting or something most of us like to do. That's why I try to find analogies to help homeowners overcome their fear of the unknown.

If you'd like to learn more about peanut butter (kidding) or drywall, read the full article Peanut Butter and Drywall Mud.

If you've got other fun analogies between houses and life, please share them as I'm collecting all sorts of fun things.

Google windows ... it's not part of your house, it's the operating system on your PC?
Wallpaper ... doesn't go on walls, but rather your computer's screeen background?
Analogies are a great way to help people learn, so let's all learn together!

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Cap Those Faucets Before You Move

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:11:03 -0800

This is a great tip and one I haven't heard before ... but I'm not a realtor. Owning a handyman business means I focus on any type of leak, and helping homeowners learn how to quickly shut the water off until the problem can be repaired.

When there is noone living in the home, this introduces a new level of complexity.

Via Tom Branch, Broker, CDPE, SFR - 214.227.6626 (RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs):

I've been meaning to write this blog for a while but I had forgotten about it. I was showing a home today and there was water everywhere in the laundry room at one of the properties. As I looked around I noted a small trickle at one of the laundry room washing machine faucets. The water was running down the wall soaking the sheet rock and puddling up on the floor. I made a quick call to the listing agent to let her know.

It reminded me of a listing I had had in Frisco. The owner had painted the house and put down fresh carpet so it would look nice and sell quickly. She had moved out of state and the house was vacant. It was a slow time of year and there were not many showings. I dropped by the house one day only to find the new carpet soaked in water! I traced the source back to a dripping laundry room faucet that day as well. Luckily we were able to have the carpet dried and suffered no real damage other than the several hundred dollar clean-up bill for the seller and several hours of my time making sure it was taken care of.

I used to recommend that sellers vacating a property cap off the laundry room and ice maker faucets. After that day, I started providing my sellers with the caps. I purchase them at my local hardware store and a set of three costs about $10. Not only is it an added service but it might just save the seller a bunch of money and myself a lot of time.

Cap those faucets before you move!

Photo Copyright 2010 - Imaged2Sell

Source: http://www.thebranchteam.com/wordpress/2011/01/09/cap-the-faucets-before-you-move/

Tom Branch and Gina Branch, The Branch Team with RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs, service the greater North Dallas suburbs including Dallas, Plano, Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Lewisville, and Carrollton. While Gina concentrates on traditional listings and buyer/tenant representation, Tom specializes in assisting distressed homeowners to avoid foreclosure. Tom and Gina have published two books (Achieving Rock Star Status and The Field Guide to Short Sales) and are available for speaking engagements in the greater Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex. Subscribe to The Branch Team Blog.

Copyright 2009-2011 - The Branch Team
The Branch Team - Texas Real Estate Broker 547597 | Team Members are Texas Licensed Real Estate Professionals
Tom Branch - National Mortgage Licensing System 341963

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

Home Owners Library, HomeTips4Women.com
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Finding Win-Win Home Financing Solutions

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:20:45 -0800

Those working in the real estate industry understand better than anyone else, the magnitude of today's mortgage crisis ... with more than 25% of home owners underwater. We're all frustrated by the stalemate as banks are dragging their heals with respect to any type of financing.

Equity Sharing

In the New York Times yesterday, Jan 5th, 2011 ... Alex Perriello offers a solution he calls "long-term equity sharing" (read the full article, Home Team). The concept seems pretty simple - in exchange for taking a lose today, banks (or really the investors who buy the loans) are given 50% equity in the property, and more important 50% of the profit when the house is sold.

Here's how Alex explains the idea:

A homeowner bought a home in 2004 for $300,000 with no down payment
The house is now worth $150,000 ... although Alex assumes there was no down payment where my son and his wife put 20% down, making this nightmare even harder to deal with.
The lender would write a new mortgage for $150,000 and retire the existing loan for $300,000 ... but to make up for the loss, the lender would take a 50% deeded ownership interest in the house.
The homeowner would also agree to split 50% of the net proceeds on the future sale of the house.

This is an ideaand while I can see some pluses, I'm not sure why the banks would go for this ... or really the lender who would be taking the loss. At the same time, if the housing market doesn't turn around and there are more defaults, then the bank is probably in a better position.

What I like best is that the lender now has a stake in the viability of the loan which wasn't (isn't) there in today's terms. The banks make their money on the front end plus servicing fees. The lenders have a guaranteed rate at the tax payer's expense when the loans are packaged up and sold to Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac.

Alex is suggesting by letting the lenders profit from appreciation, this could (and should) replace the Fannie / Freddie subsidies of today.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

Home Owners Library, HomeTips4Women.com
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Why Did I think Hanging Curtains was Easy?

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:42:57 -0800

The other day I was talking to a peer handyman business owner and she shared with me how difficult it had been trying to give a technician directions for installing curtain rods at a customer's home. Cindy asked if I could write an article about this ... and specifically said she wanted something her technicians could read.

Hanging Curtains is Easy, Right?

I thought writing this article would be easy, although I knew it was time for me to create my own graphic showing a window as I've borrowed (and given credit) someone else's graphic in the past. I absolutely couldn't believe how challenging this article was with more questions and details than you or I can imagine.

Imagine my surprise too when I had to talk to several decorators and visit numerous websites to finish up the calculations on how wide the curtain rods should be. Read Installing Curtains: Where Do I Hang Them?

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Wild Goose Chase

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:48:03 -0800

While researching & writing my annual summary of Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs Value report, I foolishing clicked on a Google ad for FREE Remodeling prices. OK you're saying, I should have known better but in the context of the page and the info I was looking for, it made sense and I almost glossed over the "ad" warning as the ad was in the main column, not top/right on page.

I was angry enough to write an article about Finding a Building Contractor (could be Realtor) and Avoiding the Wild Goose Chase

Now I'm having second thoughtsas I specifically drive the point that many of these link games land you at Service Magic, as they work to dominate the entire page 1 of search results.

Would love your input as to what I could have done, i.e. what advice would you suggest I give to homeowners researching home projects and trying to find good home professionals?

My problem as you would guess, is that I started down the slippery slope and of course, NEVER got the promised FREE (nothing is free really) remodeling prices.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Attic Bedrooms Top List of Remodeling Projects

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 23:59:30 -0800

Maybe I missed everyone's interpretation of the most recent Remodeling Cost vs Value report. Here's a quick recap of what I took away, and if you want to see my analysis of projects which grew from 15 in 2002 to 33 this year, you can read Remodeling Trends Focusing on Lower Costs at HomeTips4Women.com.

I didn't agree with Remodeling Magazine's emphasis on remodeling for curb appeal ... so I went back to 2002 report and looked at how they've been adding projects over the years.

My Top 3 Remodeling Trends in 2010:

Exterior replacement projects top the list of remodeling projects for 3 reasons. These home features require ongoing maintenance which often can’t be ignored. When a homeowner has to repair wood rot or it’s time for routine painting of wood siding and windows, it’s easy to imagine homeowners considering low maintenance alternatives like vinyl siding and windows. Combine this with the federal energy tax credits available through year end 2010 plus the ongoing energy savings (heating and cooling), and it’s easy to see why these projects were popular in 2010.
The second remodeling trend in 2010 is creating added living space cost effectively, by finishing existing, but unfinished space. Homeowners want the benefit of lower square foot costs to finish existing space versus additions that add space at a much higher cost. Space is needed by growing families who would normally move but can’t due to the current housing environment, and many homes are being stretched to accommodate extended family members unable to afford independent housing.
With lower home values, cost conscious homeowners are picking less costly remodeling project. This is reflected by the upscale projects which all fell below 70% cost value except for the exterior replacement projects noted in #1 above. Lifestyle projects with the best return fell in the mid-range, including the lower cost deck addition (81%), the minor kitchen remodel (78%) and the bathroom remodel (75%) … versus any of the additions.

To see the rest of my analysis, read Remodeling Trends Focusing on Lower Costs ... with lots of detail.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Why & When I Started Blogging Part 1

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 12:58:05 -0800

Bob Stewart's post, Never Answer the Same Question Twice, set lights bursting for me ... as it's been years since I went through exactly what he describes. Unfortunately it was so long ago that I'd forgotten most of it ... and yet, it's really the story I need to share with my peer handyman owners who aren't blogging.

So here's my story ... and it's actually one that talks to newsletters & blogging.

September 2003, opened My Handyman of Southern NH

8/25/04, received following request from Tim in Exeter NH ... "We need to replace our exterior bulk head door. In addition we would like a door installed at the bottom of the stairs leading from the baulk into the basement proper. At present there is no door or framing in place for a door. Lastly we would like four possibily five interior doors replaced. We can purchase the doors but need those doors hung by someone with experience. I would also like to have one or two references that you have done work for."

8/26/04, I replied with an email that quite honestly is embarrassing when I look at it today.

Tim, Thanks for your e-mail. I believe we can help with all of the projects you identified. In fact we just installed a bulkhead door today so I will be asking the customer on Monday if they would be willing to be a reference for you. Framing in a new door, especially if you pick out a pre-hung (has the hinges & opening for door knob already drilled out so it installs much faster) is relatively easy at the bottom of the bulkhead, and replacing doors is something we do quite frequently.

Thank you for inquiring about My Handyman services for your home. Our business is growing throughout Rockingham County, and towns in the adjoining counties of Hillsborough, Merrimack, Strafford and York County, Maine. Some quick facts about our business – more information is available on our local website at www.MyHandymanNH.com. Feel free to call us if you have any further questions, or would like a copy of our insurance binder and/or customer references.

... followed by 13 features of working with my company

... along with list of 10 customer references with name, phone number & work we did for them

Admittedly I responded to the request but more from a sales perspective with minimal expertise shared (and that's because I hadn't yet been open a year).

2005 spent perfecting my email communications

Wow, amazing to see the journey I've taken. From that first email, I crafted a more professional "info email" and started including a newspaper article and services checklist which customers like. It wasn't until February 2005, that I began including the "technical topic" in the email subject line, with the first one Attic Stairs & Tile Work.

Kurt, Needed to do some research on the stair prices as usually the techs handle this part of the job. For time, I would have told you 4-6 hrs is the typical time for new attic stairs and this is our guesstimate. In fact I would say yours might be more like 6-8 hrs as you’re not using your existing attic opening, so we've got to frame out the new opening. The projected costs are based on

Time of 8-10 hrs ... billed in half hour increments & we only charge actual time we’re working for you, including time to buy materials)
Materials ... largest cost is the stair unit, but you’ll also have wood (support & trim) plus hardware to install so I’d guess $350 plus/minus and if you want to purchase these materials to save on our markup, that’s fine with us too (you can buy, give us the receipt & we’ll pick everything up is also an option)

PS Wanted to get this off to you right away & realize I owe you additional info on your basement. As I’ve had several requests lately, I want to take a little more time to write something up for this.

As for tile installation, it takes 2 visits – first to install the tile, second visit to grout as you need at least 24 hrs for “glue” to dry first. Guesstimating time to tile bathrooms is tough – it really depends on how many tiles need to be cut due to jogs in the wall and to fit around all the fixtures, i.e. a small bathroom can take almost the same as a larger bathroom if the same number of tiles need to be measured and cut to fit. My recommendation is that you have us do one job for you to see how we work ... and then we can schedule everything else.

Worth waiting for the rest of the story

... of course there's lots more to this story but think it will be fun to give myself a little more time to think about how to organize my thoughts, and maybe right the articles that should have been written back 5 and 6 years ago.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Ahead of Schedule

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:44:59 -0800

Most of us are like kids in a candy store, we see lots of great things and want it all. As we grow older we begin to learn that there aren't enough hours in the day or money in the bank to have & do everything we can imagine.

Now we learn to prioritize and that's tough. We have to figure out what truly is most important in our lives. One of the things I like best about the holidays is ... it brings us back to what's important. For me it's the people in my life, and the memories of great times together. Of course with our boys grown this brings extra travel so we're driving to Norfolk, to visit with our Navy son (we've made a gingerbread ship this year ... photos to come) and then flying to Florida to visit with our older son.

We also have family online and Active Rain is the best example of this as there are so many of you out there, reading, writing and sharing your thoughts, your feelings, your expertise and support for everyone else.

I'm not a realtor so I do feel like I operate on the fringe of this great community. I own a handyman business and recently launched www.HomeTips4Women.com where I hope to build a similar community for home professionals who want to build connections with the same home owners you serve. You see ... a homeowner actually owns their home far longer than the time invested in buying or selling. That's where we participate, to help them decide to buy or build ... to repair or replace, to decorate and most important, taking time to enjoy the homes they work so hard for.

My journey these years has been helped by listening to all of you. Thanks ... and it's hard to believe with this post, I will make it past the magical 100,000 points!

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Merry Christmas to One and All

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 15:23:47 -0800

Maybe not my best work but fun to see how challenging it can be to re-write lyrics to a wonderful tune.

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... a beautiful new house.

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me ...2 door sconces.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... 3 fir trees.

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... 4 Christmas wreaths.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... 5 great neighbors!

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 6 logs a burning

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 7 red poinsettas

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 8 friends for dinner

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... a scrumpscious meal

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 10 yummy choc-lates

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 11 balls all glowing

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 12 lights all twinkling

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

Home Owners Library, HomeTips4Women.com
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

12 Days of Christmas

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:20:54 -0800

I've been humming the 12 Days of Christmas all week, struggling to change the words to talk about house. Think I finally got it ... you've got to count the number of syllables, and match those for the meloday to work. I won't tell you the whole story yet, but here's the beginning ... and if you've got better words, let me know.

On the 1stt day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... fantastic curb appeal.

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me ...2 door sconces.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... 3 fir trees.

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... 4 Christmas wreaths.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... 5 well lit eaves!

... we'll go inside tomorrow

... and for those who want the original words

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... a Partridge in a pear tree

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 2 Turtle Doves etc

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 3 French Hens

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 4 Calling Birds

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 5 Golden Rings

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 6 Geese A-laying

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 7 Swans A-swimming

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 8 Maids A-milking

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 9 Ladies Dancing

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 10 Lords A-leaping

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 11 Pipers Piping

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... 12 Drummers Drumming

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

Home Owners Library, HomeTips4Women.com
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Join the conversation online at
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Getting Your Home Ready for Christmas

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 09:06:01 -0800

Christmas is my favorite holiday. It’s a busy, chaotic time of year but you get to enjoy lots of fun activities with friends and family, things that you rarely do the rest of the year. My family teases me because I love playing Christmas music for months. Everyone has their personal favorites and they change over time, i.e. my boys always hung the outdoor lights but they’ve grown up and now we visit them for the holidays.

It’s easy to get distracted during the holiday season. You know you want to decorate the house and you know when you’re done because you can see the results. This checklist helps you keep track of special holiday activities that aren’t part of your day-to-day routine. The focus of this checklist is home safety — keeping you, your family and guests safe during the holiday season.

Get your Christmas Holiday Checklist

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

All She Wanted Was A Little Honest Help

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:27:48 -0800

This is a great story that illustrates why homeowers need to understand how their home is built, and how how the major systems like heating (story here) work. That's exactly what I'm trying to accomplish at the Assn of Women Home Owners (www.HomeTips4Women.com).

Via James Quarello - Connecticut Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC):

I got into the home inspection business because I felt, do feel, it is noble profession. I have the opportunity every time I inspect a home to help someone. I provide insight and information on the home so that my client can make their final purchase decision. My help doesn't stop after the inspection is complete. I tell my clients to contact me with questions after they have moved in. Most don't, but some do.

I got a call yesterday from a woman that I had done an inspection for this past summer. The home was a townhouse style condo built over a good size crawl space. She was looking for some information and advice due to a problem with her heating system.

The unit is heated by heat pump which is 10 years old. Her problem is the second floor is hot and the first floor is cold. So the heat obviously works, but is terribly uneven.

This woman seeking a solution had a free energy audit done by one of the many companies here in CT that are sub-contracted by the four major utility companies. These "audits" are actually some energy related repairs and are done by companies that also sell things like insulation and heating systems. Unlike the audits I perform, these companies' in my estimation lack two major things;

Knowledge and expertise and

An unbiased approach

The company that performed the audit on my client's home also happens to be a mechanical/HVAC installer. They told her the problem with her heat was that the 10 year old, working heat pump needed to be replaced. They could set her up right away to the tune of....wait for it.....$7000.

She wasn't so sure.

Next she calls an insulation company. Guess what? They tell her she needs to add more insulation to the already well insulated crawl space. Again she was not too sure.

One more time she calls an HVAC contractor. This company tells here she needs to replace all her insulated and fine duct work with new metal ducts. She wasn't going for it.

Needless to say she is frustrated and a bit disillusioned. Every company she has talked with has tried to separate her from her money promising their product is the solution.

My assessment from what she told me is the heating system is out of balance and or there is an air infiltration problem in the first floor.

Not one of the three companies that came into her home did any type of evaluation. For example the HVAC companies did not check the system balance or the heat distribution. It makes you wonder how they come up with their evaluations and solutions. My suspicion is it is done by looking at their check book balances.

I left her with an invitation to hire me to come back to her home to use my infrared camera to determine if there is any significant air infiltration on the first floor. I would also check her heat distribution and a few other items. If not she is certainly welcome to call me again with any future questions. My advice is always free and unbiased.

James Quarello
2010 SNEC-ASHI President
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our other high tech services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services. Learn more about our home energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.

Ansonia, Avon, Bantam, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Burlington, Canton, Cheshire, Colchester, Coventry, Cromwell, Danbury, Darien, Deep River, Derby, Durham, East Hampton, East Hartford, East Haven, East Norwalk, East Windsor, Easton, Essex, Fairfield, Farmington, Gales Ferry, Georgetown, Glastonbury, Granby, Greenwich, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Hartford, Huntington, Kensington, Killingly, Killingworth, Litchfield, Madison, Manchester, Marlborough, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, Norfolk, Northford, Norwalk, Oakdale, Oakville, Orange, Oxford, Plainville, Plantsville, Plymouth, Portland, Prospect, Redding, Redding Ridge, Ridgefield, Riverside, Rockville, Rocky Hill, Roxbury, Sandy Hook, Saugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Simsbury, South Windham, South Windsor, Southbury, Southington, Southport, Stamford, Stepney, Terryville, Thomaston, Torrington, Trumbull, Unionville, Wallingford, Washington, Waterbury,

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

Home Owners Library, HomeTips4Women.com
Marketing Toolbox, MarketingTips4Pros.com

Join the conversation online at
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

"Overwhelmed by the Technology Learning Curve?" Blog Tips for Rain Drips

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 06:21:39 -0800

A very impressive overview of how to get started, and continuing working to make all the new social media tools help you grow your business. Kudoos for such a comprehensive piece of work ...

Via Rich Jacobson Your Kitsap County WA Real Estate Agent (Windermere West Sound, Inc.):

Let's face it. For many of us, the learning curve for implementing emerging technologies into our business can be a rather daunting and intimidating venture. For old dogs like me, it can tend to be very frustrating and insurmountable at times. Although we recognize the value and benefits of blogging, and utilizing the wealth of social media tools available today, it's just a tad bit challenging to wade through everything that's out there!

Maybe you're relatively new to ActiveRain, and you're thinking that there is just too much stuff to absorb! You feel like you're trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant! You're on information OVERLOAD!

Well, Bucko, it's time to take a step back, re-group, and map out an easy and effective 'step-by-step' SMO (Social Media Optimization) strategy for your business!

Fortunately, the ActiveRain Community provides an excellent and encouraging environment for you to begin your social media journey. Allow me to suggest a few basic 'baby' steps that will make the process more enjoyable:

Perfecting Your Profile

Taking the time and effort to develop a comprehensive and 'complete' profile that is informative and engaging to your readers is a vital first step. Check out the profiles of ActiveRain's Top Scoring members to get some seasoned 'How-To' ideas. For some additional tips, check out these helpful links:

How to Make Your Profile Page SHINE!     Get Mileage from Your Profile     How to Set-up Your Profile Part I

How to Set-up Your Profile Part II     How to use Your 'My Settings' Page    Your AR Profile Masterpiece!

Making the Most of Your Profile

Constant Comments

One of the best ways to become fully immersed in the blogging fray is to simply read other people's articles/posts, and make meaningful contributions/comments to the conversation. Develop the daily discipline of making comments. Weave it into the fabric of your regular routine. Make it part of your morning coffee ritual. You'll find that you will learn some really great insights and advice from your fellow professionals and you'll begin to develop some lasting relationships with other bloggers who will typically reciprocate with comments to your posts. Plus, it's one of the easiest ways to earn points on ActiveRain!

The Secret Beyond the Comments     How to get Your Company Name in Your Comment Signature

Don't leave SPAM in Your Comments     What is Comment Junk Mail?    The True Power of Comments

Is Your Integrity worth 25 points?    Comment Rewards Program     Is Your Blog a Brick Wall?

Regular Reading - Featureds and Subscription List

Part of your daily disciplined Rain ritual should be to peruse the 'Featured' posts on the Blogs Main Page. The default category setting is 'Professional,' so simply click on the 'Featured' link up at the top left of the page, and it will pull up the most recently 'Featured' articles. These represent some of the Best of the Best within our community. These posts are selected by both ActiveRain staff and volunteer moderators as reflecting prime examples of quality writing. You will be able to learn what constitutes good effective blogging from these examples. When you discover an author that you particularly enjoy, be sure to 'Subscribe' to their blog by clicking on the 'Subscribe to Blog' button located just under their profile picture. Whenever they publish a new article, they will show up on your 'Subscription List,' located on the right hand side of the Blogs Main Page.

How to Bookmark Articles     Managing Your Favorite Posts     5 Ways to Subscribe to Blogs

How to Navigate the Blogs Main Page     A Moderator's Heart     Getting 'Featured' on ActiveRain

Getting Your Blogging Feet Wet

After you've spent an inordinate amount of time becoming an experienced 'Lurker,' the day will finally come when you will gather up the courage to step out into the imposing sea of blogging and bare your soul naked to the world! Well, it's not quite THAT bad, but it sure feels like it! You only need to peer briefly into the early archives of any accomplished blogger to realize that most of us start out with pretty much the same basically ugly and boring content. Finding your own unique voice and style can take some time. Don't be too hard on yourself. Put yourself in the shoes of your intended audience, and simply share what would be most interesting, engaging, and beneficial to them. Here's some additional helpful resources:

The 3 P's of Blogging     Blog Tips 4 Rain Drips     Balance Your Blog     How to Kreate Kwality Kontent

How to Engage Your Readers     How to Sabotage Your Own Blog     5 Ways to Create an Effective Post

Expanding Your Digital Footprint

After you've achieved a certain comfort level with your involvement here on ActiveRain, there will come a time for you to spread your social media/networking wings and begin to participate on other meaningful platforms that will serve to effectively expand your digital footprint. There are so many networks and tools available these days that it can become somewhat difficult and confusing to determine which ones can offer the best return on your time investment. Some are very obvious, and others may take extra time for your to realize the value proposition. Allow me to suggest just a few:

Facebook     Twitter     LinkedIn     Flickr     Plaxo     Naymz     Blip.fm     Last.fm     Plurk     Trulia     Zillow

One Tool at a Time

The amount of really amazing social media tools and technologies that are available to us today are incredible and rather overwhelming. Pace yourself and try not to bite off too many new widgets than you can chew at one time. Most of them are free or have expanded/enhanced features available for a modest subscription fee. As you are evaluating new tools/technology to implement into your business, remember that they should be relatively easy to use, and save you time/effort. If technology doesn't make your life/job easier, less stressful, and more productive, then find another widget that makes more sense! Here's a few to consider:

Eyejot     Utterli     RealEstateShows     vFlyer     picnik     Skype     Retaggr     Qik     Ping.fm     Posterous

~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail: kitsapagent@gmail.com

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Happy Thanksgiving

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:50:58 -0800

Thanksgiving comes once a year. It's the holiday where families share a meal, catch up on family news and reminisce over years past. Our Thanksgiving traditions start with our childhood memories but we shouldn't forget the history of Thanksgiving.

The pilgrims were thankful for a good harvest which provided enough food to last through the winter (A History of the Thanksgiving Holiday). Their homes didn't have central heat, insulation, running water or electricity ... all things we take for granted today. They were far from families back in the old country and yet they were grateful for their new neighbors, the Wampanoag Indians who taught them how to fish, hunt and grow foods to support the new community.

As you relax this weekend with family and friends, we hope you'll take time to consider how our homes and communities provide us with lifestyles unimagined even today by many around the world. We truly have much to be thankful for today and every day.

I shared what I'm thankful for on my "outside" blog, Remembering What I'm Thankful For

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Don't Turn On The Furnace

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 13:07:48 -0800

I just wrote an article about carbon monoxide poisoning, The Silent Killer at Home and wow, this is a perfect example of a poor installation although I'm guessing it was installed right and another contractor cut the PVC without a clue what he was doing.

Via Jay Markanich (Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC):

On a recent new construction inspection I arrived much earlier than my clients. I like to do that. When they arrive I can greet them and introduce myself, and mention a couple of things about the house.

Usually the supervisor comes to the house when he sees me. Often he will say something like, "Well, you won't find anything wrong with this house!" This supervisor was no different.

I was inside this house about 10 minutes when I found three serious problems.

This is one.

The house has two furnaces, the lower level being a high efficiency, condensing gas furnace.

Very efficient, they bring fresh air in to mix with the inside air. They also reheat for a second time the exhaust that goes through the roof of lesser-efficient furnaces.

The exhaust that results is so cool PVC can be used to blow it outside. You can see a thermal image of a properly-working furnace here.

In this photo you can see the exhaust tubing exit through the far wall.

So what's the problem?

The problem was so serious I turned off the furnace.

It was a bit chilly, and I could see my clients were a little cold when they arrived.

Wanting to get into the warm house they came in through the garage door.

After introductions and my silly jokes, I said to the wife, "Don't take off your coat!"

"Why not?"

"Because I have turned off the furnace."

Their questioning looks said it all. "Walk this way."

Leading them to the furnace, I gave them a quick lesson on how it works.

I like these furnaces, espcecially to be able to say to my clients how efficient they are.

This one, though, had a small problem.

Just an itsy bitsy one.

Who knows how long this broken vent has been spewing carbon monoxide into the house.

We quickly finished in the basement, to get out of there, and when we went to the upper levels I made a point of opening windows.

As I said, this was one of THREE major things wrong with this house, in addition to the accumulation of "smaller" problems.

My recommendation: Don't EVER skip a home inspection on new construction. Any of a million things may have been overlooked by the supervisor on site every day! The County had already approved the house for occupancy!

And carbon monoxide is almost never a good thing... *

* Obviously that is my dry humor coming through. It really NEVER is a good thing.

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC

Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia

www.jaymarinspect.com

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

More than Buttons at the Button Factory

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 09:47:19 -0700

Probably my favorite arts & crafts event in NH is the annual Open Studio weekend at the Button Factory in Portsmouth, NH ... so let me tell you all the things I love about this event ...

History - The event takes place in some old mill buildings (red brick with really tall ceilings) dating back to the late 1800s. The name comes from the fact that they used to manufacture buttons there, when people wore high-button shoes ... a long time ago. More recently, 2 entrepreneurs bought the building and turned it into artist studios.

Event - This year celebrates the 25th year as an artist's building, and I continue to be amazed at the incredible array of talent that I see there each year. My favorites are the woodworking (some incredible furniture & clocks) and fabric crafts (I'm a quilter) and then there is my love of color, so most things with lots of bright color are fun for me.

When you go to this event, you're not just seeing the creative products of many artists ... you also have a chance to chat with the artists on almost any topic from how they got started, what inspires them and so much more.

Who's There - The official website says there will be 70 artists and craftspeople showcasing their work, and almost all of it is for sale ... so a great opportunity to find holiday gifts for that special person. I personally think there are quite a few more artists as often they share space so one studio will have 2 or 3 artists exhibiting. They include painters, woodworkers (furniture makers, boat builders and toy makers), jewelers, photographers, sculptors, bookbinders, framers, fabric artists, metalsmiths and more.

Where - The Button Factory is on Islington St in Portsmouth, NH. It's not right on the street and it might be easier to find by locating Plaza 800 and Hannaford's Supermarketing (used to be the Pic 'n Pay) and the Button Factory is on the other side of Islington. For a map & directions ...

When - ... how could I forget this important detail? The open studio is December 4-5, 2010

My favorite artist, that I met at the Button Factory many years ago is Suzanne Roskowick

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Halloween in Portsmouth 7x24

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:05:42 -0700

Usually we think of Halloween and we think of trick-or-treating, the haunted house or a hayride ... any one of the numerous activities to celebrate the holiday. Sometimes we may be too busy to get to these events but we still want to enjoy the spirit of the holiday and Portsmouth is one town that lets you, ... in fact reminds you, of the Halloween spirit any time of day or night during October.

Portsmouth has added lots ofpumpkin scarecrows throughout the city. They're actually quite fun to see, all a little different and what's important is they're simple reminders that make you smile each time you walk, bike or drive by them.

So if you're thinking about a nice walk around town, or a trip to Market Square for a cup of coffee ... then keep on the lookout for our scary friends this October (wonder if we'll be getting snowmen next?)

PS Justy trying to think about the questions you might want to ask so ...

Are the scarecrows all dressed in black? Yes, I've seen about a dozen and they're all wearing black but you never know when someone is going to surprise us with a new costume.
What are the hands made of? They're not tree branches like you might guess, but appear to be made of metal so they're taken down each year and stored until next year.
Are they real pumpkins and if yes, how long do they last? They are real pumpkins and I'm afraid I don't know exactly when they're put up ... but towards Halloween, some of them are starting to look rather worn out.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Finding Local Art Shows for Holiday Giving

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:15:11 -0700

When I'm not busy running my businesses, I love to quilt. It lets me play with color and create things that are simply what I can imagine ... and sometimes there are great surprises too.

Right now I'm way too busy getting new websites and businesses up and running ... so I visit local arts & crafts shows instead. This lets me find beautiful gifts and support local artists which is so important to keep our communities strong and vital.

One of my favorite artists in southern NH is Amalia Flaisher, who is also a member of 4 Walls 1 Roof. She creates the most amazing artwork out of glass, including a stained glass condo at my home.

She just sent out her holiday newsletter and I was thrilled to learn about an art show in Portsmouth, the Seacoast Fine Art & Gift Market on December 10-12 (you can find an amazing collection of art shows throughout the northeast by checking out the ones where Amalia will be exhibiting).

Here is a peek at her new ornaments for this holiday season

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

Halloween Treats for Young & Old

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:39:50 -0700

Trick or treat customs have changed since I was little. We used to go door to door collecting treats and we would compare notes with other kids to see which houses gave the best treats. My favorite was an older couple where we got an apple, a large (not today's little) candy bar and a quarter which was quite a bit when I was little, especially when you're just 10. Today a lot of the malls offer a warmer, safer environment for trick or treating. The best part of going to the mall is you get to see who is there and the kids get to show off their costumes. This can be a much better alternative to having to bundle up when it's really cold outside (when I made costumes for my children, I would line them with flannel to keep them warm). Another nice thing is early afternoon works so much better for the little ones.

Trick-or-Treat Events on Saturday, October 30th ...

Salem NH - the Mall at Rockingham Park (99 Rockingham Park Blvd), has a Halloween Boo Bash (children must register for Simon Kidgits Club, simon.com/kidgits for $5 annual fee) from 2 to 4pm, followed by trick-or-treating for everyone from 4 to 6pm (participating mall retailers).

Halloween Happenings on Sunday, October 31st ...

Manchester NH - Mall of New Hampshire (1500 South Willow St), Manchester ... 1-3pm
Nashua NH - Pheasant Lane Mall (310 Daniel Webster Hwy) ... 1 to 3pm, where you can get treats from all stores marked with a pumpkin in the store window.

PS I did look for similar hours for the Fox Run mall in Portsmouth NH and the Burlington Mall in MA but no luck.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
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Would Love Feedback on this New Signature

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:14:37 -0700

... just read Craig Daniels post on signatures for Active Rain posts (read his article). I was inspired to update my signature but decided I should get some feedback first so please tell me what you like, along with ideas to make it even better.

My biggest frustrations in creating the signature:

Don't know HTML so I had to create in one of my WordPress blogs for table function ... which I wishe they would give us here on AR
Still a novice using tables and hate working with them when you end up with unwanted rows & columns, and no way to get rid of them besides messing with HTML

New signature ... well almost as the top bar looks fine on source platform but obviously doesn't work on AR's platform and I've wasted too much time already so another day. I also just noticed that my logo got lost in transferring the HTML code over which isn't good? Oh well

Learn ~ Connect ~ Build with Tina ~~ Tina Gleisner, Connect with me on the web!

Tina Gleisner, Home Owner Advocate and Handywoman

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Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

A Dozen Essentials for a Smooooooth Home Inspection

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:17:37 -0700

Love the photo as it is the bewitching month ...

This is a wonderful check list as I know I got burned once with what looked like a new furnace but I wasn't able to test it because the house had been winterized. Guess a lot of us get burned once before we learn so great to share this info ..

Via Charles Buell, Seattle, WA, Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com):

     For some time now I have wanted to put together a long list of all the things that a seller should consider doing to get their home ready for the home inspection. The more I thought about it, the more I realized my list was starting to look more like my 90,000 item report template, than a “to-do” list for a seller to get ready for the inspection.

     And then I got to thinking----if sellers actually did all those things then I wouldn’t have a job! Well, I don’t “really” believe that---based on what I know about how things get fixed----it might actually amount to more job security.

    Anyway, I decided I would stick to the basics.

     Here is my list of just a Dozen Essential Things that the seller should do in order for the inspector to do the job they were hired to do. With these things done, the inspector will be able to figure out all the rest.

1.      Make sure the water is on (I get thirsty and my buyer likes to know if the toilets work).

2.      Make sure the electricity is on (now that is a bright idea.)

3.      Make sure the gas is turned on (this includes propane in propane tanks and oil in the oil tanks----it is good to have gas now and then.)

4.      Make sure there is clear access to all electrical panels (if there is a mirror covering it, please remove it so I don’t have to worry about breaking it----it is easy enough as it is to have bad luck).

5.      Make sure there is clear access to all crawl spaces (this means unlocked too).

6.      Make sure there is clear access to all attics (this means NOT painted shut and closets emptied----unless you want rat doo and insulation on your wedding dress and tux----and make sure there is nothing I can hit my head on).

7.      Make sure keys are left available to any locked spaces (that means the combinations to locks if necessary).

8.      Seller should leave a phone number so that they can be reached if additional information is needed (this is way better than them actually being there).

9.      Turn off all computers---they may be on circuits that need to be tested (the data you lose could be your own).

10.   Take the pets to cousin Vinnie’s----or if that is not possible at least make sure they are safe and won’t limit the inspection in any way (I have never bitten a dog----or crushed a cat under the garage door----yet).

11.   Drive the Porsche to work----and leave the Datsun in the driveway----if either one is in the garage I won’t be able to inspect the overhead door (I hate door openers that fail under testing).

12.   Be prepared to stay away from home for 3 to 5 hours (but be aware that the inspection will take as long as it takes and remember----that as a seller you would not anyone following you around if you were a buyer).

Lets make it a "Bakers Dozen."

13.   Clear access to furnace and all appliances.

Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector

                                                       * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Click on the Rose to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group

PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.

My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures.

DeCroe, is my "ethereal" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog and other people's blogs to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
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... and President, My Handyman of Southern NH

The Perfect Showing...................

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:50:53 -0700

Not being a realtor, I have my routine for leaving my home ready for showings when it's on the market. I thought this list of tips was perfect, a nice blend of cleaning and what not to do when decorating, i.e. I absolutely agree with not wanting to see 4 different tile floors (same goes for carpeting).

Via Greg Nino Houston Texas (RE/MAX West Houston Professionals):

What is the perfect showing? Let me tell you..

1. The house is just like the pictures, It doesn't mysteriously back up to nuclear power plant or federal compound for the mentally insane.

2. The home is spotless, well kept and very organized. All the blinds are opened just enough to allow the natural light in. Nobody is home, no food is left out and the televisions are off. Tupac is not playing in a small boom box laying on the floor in one of the bathrooms.

3. The seller has stowed away all their bras, guns, drugs, Ouija board's, how to perform a coup de ta for Dummies book, cartons of cigarettes, sex toys, dogs, cats, birds, elephants, tigers, snakes, flesh eating worms and bug collection.

4. The yard is GORGEOUS! Filled with thick green grass, tall trees, excellent curb appeal, clean windows and freshly painted trim. A house where I don't walk through a spider web upon entry and gag on a small spider.

5. The neighbors are walking their dogs, playing with their kids and being civilized. They aren't walking their pit bulls in their boxers, laying on their cars or shouting at their kids from the other side of the street.

6. The home smells fresh, clean and airy as my wife would say. It isn't stuffy, dusty and filled with the scent of candles, potpourri or some other weird scent.

7. The furniture goes with the house! It's in good shape, clean and matching the rest of the house. A 1 million dollar home with particle board furniture makes you wonder...

8. The temperature is perfect! It isn't blazing hot or freezing cold.

9. All improvements and upgrades were done professionally.

10. The alarm system keypad is in a convenient location. I don't have to hurdle over couches, slide down a pole, rotate a book case and provide the answer to any riddles to turn it off.

11. There are no dead bugs anywhere.

12. The pool sparkles and is even prettier in person.

13. Nobody is pretending to be sleeping when we come in so we can catch them naked. FREAK!

14. REAL COOKIES are left out for the buyers and Realtors. I once bit down on a fake cookie. Fake cookies are worthless and completely unnecessary.

15. The tile matches the other tile. You don't have 4 rooms with 4 different colors of tile!

************************************************************************************************************

Our Super Cool Listings

Homes We've Sold

We close more than one home a week - Top dollar for referrals - Buyer & Seller incentives.

The information contained in this blog is believed to be reliable and while every effort is made to assure that the information is as accurate as possible, the author of this blog, and its comments disclaim any implied warranty or representation about it's accuracy, completeness or appropriateness for any particular purpose. All information is copywritten and the property of Greg Nino.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
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Save Energy and Go Green (Day #9)

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:48:37 -0700

If you're a business owner, you talk about Google. Maybe you only use Google for searching the web but most business owners focus on increasing their visibility by sharing great content.

Google PowerMeter

Like all things Google, the PowerMeter tool is available online and it's free. Basically if your utility companies have implement smart meters and energy monitoring devices, this data can be captured and made accessible to you as a home owner. Here is a list of the features included and I really like the one that shows you how much energy is being consumed by appliances that are off but continue to draw power so they can respond to the silly remote control. We are all wasting money for this feature we use so seldom, so you are better off plugging all your electronics into a power strip and turning it off to stop wasting energy.

Ability to track energy use by day, week or month
See visually and track "always on" power use ... so you can eliminate this waste except for things like your refrigerator, and until tankless hot water heaters become the norm, that too.
Help repdicting future energy consumption
Set your budget and trck how well you're doing
Online PowerMeter community to share ideas and learn from others

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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Blogging 101 What Is Your Role: Are You A Reader? Writer? Commenter? Aggregater?

Tina Gleisner (Association of Home Professionals) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:25:15 -0700

I really like the way Scott has defined roles in blogging beyond the original author, and especially the commenter.I often encourage people just exploring whether they want to blog to pick a few to follow and start commenting ... and this will help them decide how much they want to get involved.

Via Scott Hayes (Austin Real Estate Agency):

Blogging has become a fantastic way for authors of a subject to communicate their ideas. Although a website is a wonderful way to deliver information, a blog allows direct communication. The author also gets a give and take take with those who consume. What's best about blogs however, is participants can do so in a number of ways. Those of us who write, may appear to be authors, but the truth is, we probably have had numerous roles, and still do so as we continue to write. Participating in a blog is beneficial, just don't confine yourself to one role to play:

The Reader- I like to think of blog reading like talk radio listener-ship. Although millions listen to shows everyday, only one percent of the participants actually attempt to call in. It's human nature to consume information we find interesting. But that doesn't mean we choose to get involved. A majority of the consuming public chooses not to get involved. For the last several months, I've written a blog on an almost daily basis. But I read posts for several years before I decided to write my first post. Reading allows one to gather information, learn from those in the know (And some who don't know so much) and search for answers to questions. My experience, was that I could find answers to questions, and learn of recommendations from others, faster than I could through day to day conversation in my field of work.

The Writer- Most people are reticent to began a blog, because they believe it takes some level of expertise to write about a subject. That isn't necessarily true. The goal of writing should be to convey compelling information to a readership. That could be done by writing informative posts on a subject. It could also be achieved by introducing a subject, and asking very good questions, that many who read the blog may share. An interesting post might also be one that is thought provoking, because the author writes something that elicits debate.

The Commenter- I frequent several blogs written by very accomplished writers. What is striking however, are the comments written by the readers of the blog. A well done post, often results in comments, that may provide more information or more insight, than the original article. The best blogs have interaction between the author and those who comment, allowing readers to get even more information from the author. Frankly, when I write a post, I look forward to the comments I will get from readers. They expand on my ideas, and in many cases, take my post in a different, often better, direction.

The Aggregator- Youtube is the third most popular website on the internet. Youtube also has a blog. But the website, the aggregator, of videos of its participants is the behemoth that has more traffic than Facebook. The Drudge Report and Google News are also aggregators.

Some people feel more comfortable analyzing good content and presenting it. Call them rebloggers, aggregartors, etc. As long as they have the permission of the author, they can provide a good service to a readership, and the original author of the post. Some aggregators even call on guest bloggers on a regular basis, to provide content.

So remember, when it comes to blogging, there is a role for everyone. You may find that you take on all of these roles at one time or another.

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
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