My wise old grandmother introduced me to real estate when she got me interested in landscaping and vegetation, still avocations of mine. Since that time I've gone on to be a Realtor, a plumber, a roofing contractor, a heating and cooling technician, a pool/spa builder, a septic system builder, a landscaper, and, of course, a property consultant/home inspector.
I've been involved in property renovations in seven states during the past 30+ years, all of them offering me different perspectives on various aspects of real estate. My last seven years have been as a home inspector (2001-2007) and a property consultant (2007-present). Since I work in a state where home inspectors are not licensed, working as a property consultant gives me greater flexibility in meeting the needs, wants, and goals of my Clients in order to help.
Currently I'm a member of the InterNational Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) and its most active poster. InterNACHI is the nation's largest inspector trade association with over 9,000 members. I'll be the first to tell you that I don't know everything there is to know about real estate, so if I find something interesting, I can post a question or a picture on the InterNACHI Message Board and have the answer within hours, many times within minutes. Real estate doesn't sleep, and neither does InterNACHI; I, however, do take an occasional catnap.
In the past I've been a member of other trade associations, such as CREIA (California Real Estate Inspection Association), ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors), NAHI (National Association of Home Inspectors), SPREI (Society of Professional Real Estate Inspectors), the Better Business Bureau, the Greater San Diego Business Association, and the San Diego Association of Realtors. Even though I'm not a paid member of those anymore, I particpate in their education seminars, meetings, and conventions whenever possible. One can never have too much education or knowledge.
Much of my life has been spent helping others through various charitable and volunteer organizations, such as Key Club (King High School; Kingsville, Texas), Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity (Texas A&M University; College Station, Texas), Breast Cancer Research, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Red Cross, SPCA, and Special Olympics. I have a long life in music, having started the piano before kindergarten, violin in first grade, and voice in fifth grade. I've sang with many Church Chancel Choirs and community Choruses, as well as having played violin with the Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M-Kingsville) Symphony, the Corpus Christi Symphony, the Houston Symphony, and the Brazos Valley Symphony.
Although I joined Active Rain in July 2007 (when, according to my records, membership was a mere 22,215), I recently rediscovered it and have become more Active due to PPP&P: the people here are Pleasant, Positive, Personable, and Professional. Such an empowering site.
For readers interested in more personal stuff about me, visit www.mywiseoldgrandmother.com. That's my site dedicated to the memory of my wise old grandmother, and when you read it, you'll understand why. You'll also be able to see Zoey, my cat, and her friends (and feel free to send Zoey some pictures of your friends). There's business, humor, music, entertainment, and much more. Catch the 5-minute video of Zoey washing herself (why do cats always have to wash the spot where you just petted them?) or the tour of the Birch Aquarium. And there's more being added each week.
For readers interested in just my real estate business, visit www.russel-ray.com. There's a lot of free articles (and more added each day) to help you and your Clients stay safe in their homes and properly maintain them to help prevent disasters such as fires, plumbing leaks, roof leaks, etc. Being proactive with daily, weekly, monthly, and annual maintenance is much better than waiting for the disaster to happen and losing the last known color photograph of your wise old grandmother arriving at Ellis Island, or your Baby Book, or your Wedding Album.
For readers interested in tips, tricks, ideas, and suggestions business and marketing, especially for the self-employed, small business, and small departments of otherwise large collections, visit my new Marketing & Business Message Board at www.marketing-and-business.com. My old Marketing & Business Forum was shut down when the free host upgraded their servers to provide more disgusting ads, spyware, and annoying pop-ups to the Forum. I have been a specialist in Guerrilla Marketing since the term was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson way back in the mid-1980s.
And for readers who need to know everything about homes. visit www.abouthomes.info, where I am building my private Internet library of my real estate materials collected from over 40 years in real estate. Scanners and storage on the Internet has already freed up one of my bedrooms and I can now see some of the walls and floors!
You can also catch me as real estate and landscaping expert at www.allexperts.com.
Readers who have questions about my avocations—vegetation and landscaping, music, and Guerrilla Marketing—should feel free to email me directly at russel@russel-ray.com.
Readers of any persuasion—Realtors, attorneys, home inspectors, plumbers, etc.—from any part of the country should feel free to call me at 619-341-0173 at any time to discuss anything related to real estate. I answer my phones 24/7, all holidays and all sporting events included. Holidays are just an opportunity to make additional money because my competition doesn't work on holidays, and I can watch the highlights from the days sporting events on the news. I am only too happy to help.
