challenges on activerain: A Feel-Good Type of Real Estate Sale
- 12/31/25 08:25 AM
A Feel-Good Type of Real Estate Sale
Through 2008-2009 real estate was like an oil boom, with people selling and buying and at times not enough hours in the day. Then the reservoir dried up, because bank inventories were high and lending started to tighten-up. It became apparent that things had to change.
Late in 2008, a nephew of a family member reached out to me for help in selling their home. They were getting the demand letters from their lenders and needed guidance. What they needed at the time was beyond my level of experience and was also too late to enter into … (11 comments)
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challenges on activerain: AR Zoom Call Homework for Week of 12.15.25
- 12/17/25 05:29 PM
AR Zoom Call Homework for Week of 12.15.25
Let me first interject that for all on the Zoom Call, can you even remember the last time you had to do real homework?
Given that, the assignment was to us the AI platforms to create a backdrop for the Zoom Calls. The prompt was to be: "Create an image to use as the backdrop for Zoom calls that represents my personality."
Using the prompt on Night Cafe I got the following:
I put it back and tried to get Night Cafe to remove the camera and sharpen the background but got nothing positive. I also tried it … (16 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Comparisons with North Carolina and Connecticut
- 10/25/25 02:43 PM
Comparisons with North Carolina and Connecticut
The presentation on the Zoom call this week was on the lifestyle of the residents of North Carolina and was presented by Debe Maxwell.
The homework was to offer some comparisons between the 2 states.
It can't be done on size, as North Carolina is 9 1/2 times larger than Connecticut and its population is 3 times larger.
There are similarities with the land, as there are parts of the Appalachian trail that run along the Western side of both states.
State Birds:
The state bird for Connecticut is the Robin, most distinguishable by its orange breast and often sought in … (10 comments)
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challenges on activerain: When Other Forces Know What to do to Get your Attention
- 09/30/25 08:38 AM
When Other Forces Know What to do to Get your Attention
The Monthly Challenges on ActiveRain are a throwback to the early days when the platform was not only trying to teach us how to blog but also generating activity to increase its numbers.
There were also the Rain Camps, which were high-powered presentations that afforded great presentations and a chance to meet Rainers in person.
The Raincamps are not likely to ever happen again for a number of reasons.
What was spooky was the Cloud where my photos are stored sent me a memory jog.
Up came a photo taken at RainCamp in Washington, DC, … (19 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Have We Changed with Time? July 2025 Challenge #3
- 07/29/25 05:28 AM
Have We Changed with Time? July 2025 Challenge #3
For the July Challenge hosted by Patricia Feager and Lew Corcoran, we are asked to offer examples of how we have changed.
As I have had very few variations in jobs, although the daily challenges were all varied. Real estate seems to have offered the job that continues to affect the mind.
I find myself, at times, with a nudge from something recently seen, going back to something I did in my then job that left a definite memory. It is easy when I play golf as I had been involved with every facet in the manufacturing … (16 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Have We Changed with Time? July 2025 Challenge #2
- 07/18/25 12:29 PM
Have We Changed with Time? July 2025 Challenge #2
Prior to becoming a real estate agent, my simple involvements were a land purchase on which I built my own house.
Then a sale and purchase because that's what the judge suggested was equitable since I was not in a position to buy her out.
Then the sale with purchase of our house with my current special wife and life partner. With the current purchase, a seed was planted by the agent that helped us as she liked the way I looked at the houses to determine if they were right for us. She tried … (16 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Have We Changed with Time? July 2025 Challenge
- 07/14/25 07:41 AM
Have We Changed with Time?
The question was simple and yet maybe not so much.
A quick and simple answer would be, of course, I got older:
I have pains in areas I never had before
I can't do things as well as I once did
And of course there's that oldie but goodie: if I could change that.
Well, it is all a mute point, as no one can go back with the eraser and fix a thing.
What reflection does offer is the obvious:
I learned to be more patient. It was a gradual transition brought on by the interactions we experienced while developed within a transaction.
When … (20 comments)
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challenges on activerain: April Challenge: The Buyers that Really Tested Patience
- 04/11/25 10:11 AM
The Buyers that Really Tested Patience
As agents we always hope, when starting with a new client, that it will be a smooth transaction. I was involved in such a transaction, and it really was close to a break-it-off deal.
The clients had their house on market and were very well committed to where they wanted to move to and style of house. As they were still somewhat spry, they wanted space but more importantly wanted it on 1 level.
And so, it started.
While allowing their residence to be shown they were seeking the next place to live.
Qualifying listings seemed to be scarce, but … (17 comments)
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challenges on activerain: The Influences that Define our Lives 3
- 03/21/25 07:22 PM
The Influences that Define our Lives 3
There are always people around us that offer advice and even when they don't, by watching them we can possibly watch and get a hint of a technique that we can use with some changes.
We are in a business where we try to offer help to clients that have access to a barrage access to an unlimited source of information. However not all of it is correct, yet people feel that if it's on the Internet then it has to be true.
That and the natural tendency of people to mistrust those greedy and self-serving real … (19 comments)
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challenges on activerain: The Influences that Define our Lives 2
- 03/14/25 06:49 AM
The Influences that Define our Lives 2
Very few adults can look at their lives and honestly state that they were destined to be what they became with no assistance from anyone. A sense of divine right, so to speak. I am not one of those, nor do I know anyone like that.
My career path had some bumps at the beginning, more so due to a little military issue and being in the wrong job at the wrong time. The early 1970's were not the kindest to engineers in the aerospace industry.
I found a job working as a support engineer in a field … (18 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Appreciating the Positives in our Lives: Thankful That I was Watching
- 11/25/24 08:20 AM
Thankful That I was Watching
Real estate is a business that requires knowledge, caring and the ability to respond quickly. It is not about just opening a door, waiting for a buyer to look through a house and then wondering if this is the one they want to buy. Or at least that is my belief.
When the market favors buyers, it becomes necessary to try and make sure that what they are seeing has the potential of offering the shelter and comforts they seek and not become a money pit, unless of course they are seeking a fixer upper.
As a youngster, we … (17 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Appreciating the Positives in our Lives: ActiveRain
- 11/19/24 06:21 AM
Appreciating the Positives in our Lives: ActiveRain
When one looks at a new calendar, the month of November will always cause the mind to go to the last Thursday of the month, Thanksgiving, or for shoppers, the day before Black Friday and the discounts.
For those of us with longevity on ActiveRain, it is the month when we post blogs offering up the sentiments for which we share gratitude.
ActiveRain was a gift that gave me insight to being a better agent and for gaining the knowledge to make me shine in my work. Blogging was a relatively new concept and very few were … (19 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Grateful and Proud of Being an American
- 11/11/24 08:02 AM
Grateful and Proud of Being an American
There is no accounting for where one has been born. It is another of the mysteries of life. As humans, we all strive, or attempt to make the most of where we live to survive. There are very few places in the world, however, where one has unlimited opportunities available to them as we do here in the United States.
As we have seen over the past months our country is not perfect, and yet people still line up at the border seeking a place to thrive. So many people in the world will live a … (15 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Relationships are Forever
- 09/03/24 10:52 AM
Relationships are Forever
Kinship is an emotion or state of mind that supersedes time.
Everyone has a connection with an absent friend that never
needs an apology or explanation.
The conversation resumes as though commenced the day before.
No reason to explain the time lapse.
The bond is strong, a quick look of recognition justifies lapse.
Everyone has a friend or relative with who a bond is so tight that a lapse of time is never chastised so much as passed over.
Conversations flow as though the last visit was yesterday. Such is the case with the vacation we currently are experiencing.
With the passing of an aunt last … (24 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Charity Always Begins at Home
- 12/30/23 10:04 AM
Charity Always Begins at Home
The month of December is an active month for charities and organizations looking to get monthly pledges so as to continue doing the work they do. Whether it's for animals, children, or veterans. the work needs help and as the expression goes: You have no chance unless you ask.
I get it, and we do it, most of which is locally with the church charities that feed the poor, through pantries.
Even Santa's helpers with their red pots and bells in front of stores get assistance.
For me, however, the commissions I earn have gone to the Susan Komen foundation … (12 comments)
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challenges on activerain: November Challenge, I'm Thankful for so Much 2
- 11/12/23 07:02 AM
November Challenge, I'm Thankful for so Much 2
As November is the month of appreciation and gratitude, like the Pilgrims with their first fest of thanks, we are offered a chance to reflect on what makes us smile and share with fellow members here, on ActiveRain.
The posts will be made for family and friends, and I will do the same towards the end of the month.
As I pondered the good that I have in my life, I have no hesitation to offer my appreciation for the platform that has given me so much towards my real estate business as well as education, … (24 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Real Estate Marketing Requires Full Contact
- 01/21/23 08:24 AM
Real Estate Marketing Requires Full Contact
The business of real estate is not as simple as has appeared to be the last few years. Getting the attention of clients does requires more than just sticking a for sale sign on a lawn and waiting for the offers.
The business of real estate does require full contact in order to establish a firm foundation that will provide clients for years. The method of contact can be different and depending on the age of the target being chased.
Mailings For an audience of people at least 50 years old my efforts are expended with mailings. I have … (15 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Reach Out and Touch Someone: Andrea Sweidler
- 12/06/21 10:22 AM
Reach Out And Touch Someone: Andrea Swiedler
The Challenge this month is to reach out and touch someone that has been noticeably absent from ActiveRain for a while. I venture that the object is to bring them back to the fold, but for me at least, it offered an opportunity to visit with a friend that is attributable 100% to ActiveRain.
Andrea Sweidler, for many a year, was a fixture here on ActiveRain. But beyond her activities here, she was a person that would have remained an unknown to me even though we are only a few miles apart.
I can honestly say that … (24 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Zoomin' With ActiveRain and Ken Jones
- 01/12/21 03:16 PM
Zoomin' With ActiveRain and Ken Jones
The Tuesday Zoom call was on creating a Podcast and was hosted by Debb Maxwell. The presented was Kenneth (Ken) Jones who currently works as a Real Estate Investment Consultant but has been a licensed real estate broker and Certified Appraiser. He has been working in the business since the early 1970's and has developed and evolved his marketing and sales abilities into what he does today.
He made this Zoom meeting a How To for anyone interested in doing podcasts and was most gracious in demonstrating how one would be set up, what type … (29 comments)
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challenges on activerain: Reaching the Home Stretch for the Grandson's Postcard Project
- 05/23/19 06:57 AM
Reaching the Home Stretch for the Grandson's Postcard Project
For those who are not familiar with this topic, I have been helping my Grandson Raphael and his class with a project for school. The task is to reach out to friends and family across the country to get postcards with postmarks from the states as well as including 2 facts of that state.
The response from friends, family and ActiveRainers has been extremely positive and as we hit the last days of the project, we have a few states that we have not been able to reach.
This is not to sound like … (40 comments)
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A Feel-Good Type of Real Estate Sale
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