ActiveRain Success Stories

"I have been blogging non-stop for the last 5 years. I constantly search Google to see how I am coming up on real estate specific terms and word. I have been surprised, and very pleased, that at least have the time my Active Rain blog comes up ahead of my web site blog. I am getting investors calling me from out of state and often their first words are "I was reading your Active Rain blog post"."

"I have a referral client who just landed into Toronto Dec 15, 2011 and needed a place to move into. We worked very quickly to get them into a place after 2 un-successful offers (which they were very frustrated about) and they finally moved into the apartment on the night of Dec 23. Woke up on Christmas eve morning and got a call from my client, Guess what is the call about? Their son have locked himself inside his room and has lost the key. They were frantic. Since its Christmas eve, I felt that I needed to do something about it instead of just suggesting something else, I swing down with my tool bag and got the son out from the room in just 5 mins. The son had been locked inside for the whole morning! So although they did not gave me much thanks (they were grateful, but visibly upset), I went home feeling great, although I really do not have to do this. It was just like Santa Clause giving someone a great gift of relief from their pressure of just being landed into a new country."

"Helped first-time home buyer purchase foreclosure after it didn't sell as a short sale saving them $70k - Saved buyer $300k and negotiated all furniture to be included in purchase - Helped buyers save 70% on their property taxes by getting them Mills Act Designation - Helped investor buy home and re-sell in 6 days for 34% more money - Helped buyers get condo VA-approved saving them $107k in down-payment & $500/month in mortgage insurance - Saved buyer $20k off list price plus negotiated seller to pay additional $25k off difference in low appraisal - Helped investor sell home in less than a week - Sold home seller did not like, while simultaniously securing their dream home - Helped investor sell home for almost 35% more than originally purchased - Helped sellers convince their tenants to buy their home - Helped sellers get condo VA-approved to get more prospective buyers - Helped seller negotiate buyer out of requesting termite, and negotiated repairs down to 1/3 of original request...and much more!"

"I just finished Blogging Boot Camp and can't say how much I learned from this very focused and hands on presentation. I now understand SEO with more clarity, and will be blogging with all of the tips outlined. Here's to increasing traffic and exposure through Active Rain. This free class is a must for anyone starting on Active Rain!"

"I am from New Orleans and was educated in beautiful City Park. I worked in restaurants in a city renowned all over the world for "Food, Music, People and Service". Here in California my children marvel that I still smile and wave to people, even strangers. I have taken this hospitality approach to my life's passion and that is a career and lifestyle in "The Real Estate Business." I have come to know and serve so many fine people along the way, many continue to stay in touch and remain educated and prepared for the next opportunity. By doing so I have been over paid, I have a growing family of six children who are graduating and growing in their own lives, getting married/engaged and my eldest daughter is pregnant with our first grandchild, exciting news! I am so proud of having raised our children in Church with a love for Jesus Christ and education paving the way to joyful independence. Thank you Tri Counties; Ventura, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara for your relationships and a quality life."

"Active Rain showed me the way to get those "expired" listings. After some time of trying it on my own from other places that offered advice, I was not being successful. So off to Active Rain I went and started reading other Realtors, Copywriters, etc. blogs about obtaining expired listings. It worked! I read many useful pieces of advice and two of the pieces I received were what I believe to be the most helpful in obtaining these listings. 1) You must contact this expired listing numerous times in a row, at least 6-8 and someone even wrote "10" times is the magic number, 2) You must offer "valuable" content in your contacts to the expired seller. Don't just sell you and your Company, give them useful information, a reason to contact you. As I posted before, Thank You Active Rain. You made going after the expired listings my main method of obtaining new listings."

"Finding Active Rain is my current success story. The wealth of knowledge and the “put into action” information that will help grow my business is…. PRICELESS!"

"My Nephew wanted to buy a home in the Dallas Texas area. He is a little picky but i found him a great agent using active rain and they closed the sale in June 2010"

"When I seek information, or need guidance, I find four valuable sources: My broker, the Tennessee Real Estate Commission, our REALTOR® Associations, and the ACTIVE RAIN® community. All are vital to my daily pursuits,
but NO WHERE DO I FIND MORE HELP, MORE ENCOURAGMENT, and MORE IDEAS than I do standing in the rain.
I consider it a most rewarding and valuable asset. My clients benefit daily from the showers of blessings called
ACTIVE RAIN®."

"Who is Veronica Urquilla

When not working in the Real Estate Business, you can find me at my favorite Bookstore,exercising, at church or spending time with my kids and Grand Daughter. I grew up in El Salvador and in 1985 I came to live with my Mother in California. From there I move to Atlanta Georgia in 2004 where I found my love for Real Estate, and in 2005 I earned my Real Estate License and became a full time Agent. I have two kids, who are the love of my life and one Grand Daughter Victoria Alexandra, Grant Alexander and Vera Chalieze."

"I was a little slow at starting with Active Rain. I signed up and let it sit in "limbo" for months. Shame on me because I now realize how much I was missing. AR IS FUN!! I'm enjoying learning how to blog and learning so much from everyone at AR. There are so many nice and wonderful people on here that it amazes me everyday how the community can come togther to help each other. I will be closing on my first deal next week that was referred to me by an AR member...YEAH!!! I'm very happy about that and looking forward to more coming!! Let's just say "I'M GETTING RAINED ON AND LOVE IT"!!"

"A couple of years ago, I decided that I wanted to try and get into the REO business. This requires a concentrated effort of "dues paying" and after preparing lots of low paying, time consuming BPO's (broker price opinions) I started getting the listing assignments slowly but surely. My greatest success story is a recent REO (bank owned) listing in Holmdel which resulted in 10 offers with 3 over asking within 5 days of its being listed. Now that's not only a success story, but downright miraculous in today's market! FYI, my BPO on this property for a quick sale was right on the money."

"I have a wonderful couple that looked for the perfect home for them...as VA loan buyers, so many sellers won't accept their financing. It's hard to believe these dedicated soldiers come home from war, and banks or sellers don't want to help them.

After months, we found a home, too good to be true, newer, outstanding pool backyard and location...The bank took their offer and 45 days later, they have a home. When the home closed escrow, they gave me a plaque that read, the army looks for a few good men....we found a great Realtor...Thank you Davis Family! Today 9/5/2011 I visited them, the house has been painted, they've added granite and made this house...a HOME. I don't just have clients...I have friends!"

"Thanks to ActiveRain, I made key industry connections that lead to dozens of buyer and seller referrals in just a few short months.
Update 12/09, I have now received several international leads and closed several transactions as a results of my marketing efforts on ActiveRain, I consider it one of the more efficient marketing toold I have found to date and recommend it to all of our agents."

"My success story began after I got out of college and got into real estate. Blessed to not have worked much in the corporate life, I have been successful from day one to present. I started as a new home sales consultant with a local home builder, then was promoted to manager, regional manager, vice president to owning my own company. And not just real estate. I also have built over 400 homes, and developed over 300 lots and won many awards for sale, home building and association awards. So my success story is on going and I love it."

"In one transaction very early in my career i had to learn the art of negotiations very quickly. I had clients who were trying for the third time to buy a home, and found me, they said "if we don't do it this time we are giving up" They were going VA, no money down. There were hurdles i wasn't fully aware of until i got into it--the buyers owed their landlord thousands in rent, but needed a landlord verification from the same person they owed to move forward. I had to negotiate an exchange in order to get this required document for the lender. Though I shook in my shoes after seeing his reaction to the request i knew i could never let my fear show, and was successful in obtaining the letter needed. They bought their home. Many years later they would tell their son, just two years young then, to go with what works when buying his home as they had done--"call Sue and Dan". He did, and he is now enjoying his new home. Not saying it was easy this time either in this market, but happy endings are the reward much enjoyed by all."

"I posted a blog about a clever online service Takethemameal.com. This scheduling website allows,you to coordinate the entire process of sending someone meals -from contacting people to posting dates to making sure there aren't duplicates meals! The very next day after I blogged, I heard that 2 of our agents had been in an accident and could use some meals. It was such a snap to go to the website and set up the plan. I blasted the URL to my office in less than 2 minutes we had meals scheduled!"

"ActiveRain has played a great part in the development aspect of my business. In a time where we are overwhelmed with technological tools, marketing strategies, prospecting systems, training events, and all the other aspects of our business, I find the knowledge, support, and expertise of other agents extremely helpful. I always tell other agents, especially those who are not affiliated with a successful and innovative company, to get on ActiveRain for ideas, support, and insight into what is going on in real estate."

"Active Rain has helped my blogs and website get more exposure resulting in more leads."

"Active Rain is my "go-to" site for all things real estate, including technology and marketing! Success for me began with the first of many, many "Ah HA" moments. Localism has enabled me put my Lake Charles area land listings front and center on the web. Further, I've been able to promote several non-profits, businesses, and more. It is also a sure-fired place to find a chuckle every day."