featured: Unofficial Tech Support ~ Lesson in Placing Photos Side by Side...
- 04/13/07 08:16 AM
Blogs with properly placed photos mean a world of difference in presentation. Nicely lined up photos without a lot of white space are more appealing and attractive to the viewer. When adding photos it's fairly easy to add one at a time, embedding the cursor into the text (not the other way around). Adding photos that need to be placed right next to each other is a little more challenging. Why? The simplest explanation is this; the format of Active Rain is fluid in size. Everyone is viewing it on a different size monitor. What works on your computer screen … (74 comments)
featured: Ever been accused of being full of hot air...
- 10/14/06 05:29 AM
Salesman are famous for rhetoric that induces people to purchase. As Realtors we sometimes fall under the old salesman banner. I don't know about you, but I hate being categorized as a salesperson. I don't think of myself as a salesperson, although I know I am in "sales." What is the difference? To me, there's a big difference. As a Realtor I assist people in making decisions. I don't encourage or force them. Never do you hear puffery or high pressure come from my lips. My concerns are with understanding what the customer wants, needs and can afford. On many occasion, I can offer suggests … (59 comments)
featured: Foreclosure Hotline...need help...call now.
- 10/12/06 03:19 AM
Denver Colorado Real Estate Issues Facing Foreclosure in Colorado?...Call for help Colorado launched a Foreclosure Hotline this week. It's purpose is to assist people who are delinquent on the mortgages. Counselors will act as intermediaries between homeowners and lenders, to work out a game plan, help organize finances, avoid scams, reduce potential liability and possible sell or keep the home. If you are delinquent on your mortgage payments, please call for help. The number is 1-877-601-HOPE (4673). Irony in action The Foreclosure Hotline is expected to cost $300,000- $500,000 over the next two years. It is being funded in part, by the Division of Housing. Additionally the Attorney … (19 comments)
featured: Giving Away the Farm
- 09/26/06 05:48 AM
Ever have a buyer or seller express frustration over not being able to "talk" to the other party? Occasionally, I have to remind my sellers it's not a good idea to be present during a showing, because you just don't want to let something slip to the "other side." My sellers, as smart as they are, don't believe they would be so foolish to let "the other side" know personal motives. But I know better... As a showing agent, it's very easy to get a seller to talk. In fact sellers they stay at home are usually very chatty wanting to make a … (22 comments)
featured: Selling a home? Hop on the Cluetrain...
- 09/26/06 03:54 AM
When the market is flooded with homes for sale, builders are giving away bonuses beyond belief and your listing agent calls to set a showing, read this: Don't play "let's make a deal with the showing time. ~ Yes, you have a life, but we have a schedule. Help us out here, we have a short window to look at homes, don't upset it by trying to tailor it to your needs.Clean up the place. Better yet, keep it clean all the time, it's a little more work but less stress in the long run.Don't smoke inside. IF you do smoke do it outside … (12 comments)
featured: Deceptive Advertising
- 09/25/06 02:39 AM
I got a check in the mail today. It was not a large check, but a check made out to my corporation. I wasn't expecting it, so I was curious. Upon further study, I discovered if I cashed this check, it would "authorizing withdrawals from my checking account!" Yes, that's right. No contract, no more explanation, just some small print on the stub of the check. How many people will cash this? How many people will just overlook the small print and end up having "withdrawals from your checking account." I am outraged by this type of advertising, done by:YP.COM Internet Yellow Pages 101 Convention Center … (49 comments)
featured: my first time
- 09/23/06 05:26 PM
i did it...i wrote a blog. it took longer than i thought, but it looks good, real good. it's time to publish, click! OH! There it is, for all the world to see. yippee!now it's time to rest. i'm exhaused, didn't think i had it in me.(two long mimutes pass) hummm, maybe someone commented...i check.nope. no comments.ok, game is on, i'll watch tv.until the commercial. boring...maybe i'll go check ar again. nothing still.hummm. is it really a good blog? self-doubt sets in. my stomach feels sick. did someone else just experience my same thought...i'll look. .....no! whew.jeeze, wish i'd get a … (39 comments)
featured: Credit Mining ~ scary invasion of our privacy
- 09/22/06 02:51 AM
Jerra Ryan, Branch Manager from Premier Mortgage drops by our office from time to time to keep us abreast of mortgages and how things work. Yesterday she sent me the following email. I'm printing it here with her permission. It's a must read... We are also running in to "Credit Mining"--when I pull a credit report for a borrower, their information is sold to Wells Fargo, CountryWide and several of the other "BIG" institutions, who now know they have a "ready, willing" borrower and they contact the borrower and try to get the deal. For all the obvious reason, I am horribly offended … (15 comments)
featured: Status Quo is a No Go.
- 09/21/06 02:12 PM
The real estate industry is demography old. Look around...no offense folks but most of us are boomers. We have dominated every market, set trends and made wealth, probably more so than any other generation before or after us. But we don't know everything. We must listen to the youth, the new kids on the block who cut their teeth on Nintendo and grew up knowing their way around a computer. My Daughter proudly told me how she converted a lead, late, very late the other night by using TEXT messaging. Duh...why didn't I think of that? Vali noted that 11:30 p.m. was too … (30 comments)
featured: Think About the Future... ADD VALUE.
- 09/20/06 11:40 PM
Real estate blogging on Active Rain has become a way of life for many. Others are just joining and are questioning our little social community. As we come together we all need to recognize the importance of our blogs and how it affects our future. The blogs are getting indexed by the search engines. By this I mean what we say is being stored for future reference to the world. Is this important? You bet it is. Blogging may feel like play at times, but in reality we are opening our minds and exposing our thoughts to the digital world. As Active … (34 comments)
featured: Highest & Best Use...does it apply to you?
- 09/20/06 11:42 AM
My heart skipped a beat today as I approached my favorite mall at Park Meadows in Lone Tree. The demolition had begun on the Lord and Taylor store, it looked like the setting of a bombing. No, it isn't a terrorist attack, just an economic decision to tear down a perfectly good store to replace it with an outdoor walking mall. The soon to be gone store is less than 10 years old! It was a beautifully done department store whose demise came along after it was sold to a competitor (I think Macy's) that is already at the mall. Instead of … (16 comments)
featured: Dealing with angry customers
- 09/20/06 05:31 AM
As Realtors we occasionally get to deal with customers who are angry. People get angry for a host of reasons. Miss-communication, unmet expectations, undue stress, financial mishaps and the list goes on. When a customer gets angry, it may or not be a result of what we personally have done or not. The reality is we need to confront the anger as soon as possible. Why? Because 1) the customer is angry 2) because they are a customer. Running and hiding or avoiding the issue will not make it go away, it will only escalate, causing more rage. A good friend of … (14 comments)
featured: If I had a nickle...
- 09/16/06 02:26 PM
Inquiries from Out Of State Buyers searching for homes can be very predictable. I can't tell you how many times I've been told, I want a Log Cabin in the woods on acreage, for under $200,000 or $300,000. I roll my eyes and try to explain nicely, "we don't have many of those in Denver." Of course we have log homes, cabins maybe but certainly not in Denver. With all the home search sites available to the public, wouldn't it make sense to check things out, before you open your mouth to insert foot? I know people have their dreams, but I wish they would … (21 comments)
featured: REALTOR Standards...we need a plan
- 09/14/06 04:43 PM
It has always amazed me, how the real estate industry lacks standards. Most folks go to real estate school thinking they will come out educated. Instead they come out knowing how to pass a test... "When in doubt choose 'c', that's what I remember. I, like everyone else sat in class bored to tears while the instructor rambled on with his own version of ancient war stories. Occasionally, he would drop us a hint as to how to answer the test question. In real estate school I never did learn anything about how to make this business work. Upon receiving a license, I … (33 comments)
featured: The Pride of the Unsung Hero
- 09/07/06 02:03 PM
Occasionally during my day, I stop my car to enjoy a site and shoot a photo. Today was a particularly nice day in the Washington Park area. The gardens in are full bloom and the temptation was irresistable, I parked, grabbed my camera and toured the garden. As I was posturing for the best "shots" I noticed a gentleman watching me. He was working in the garden. I asked him, "Is this Your Garden?" He grinned and said "yes!" We chatted about the remarkable collection of plants and how well he had matched up the dark and light colors. He was truly … (12 comments)
featured: Superstition and Real Estate
- 09/05/06 02:28 PM
Are you superstitious? Black cats and the number 13 are problems for some, but not for me. I have been even known to walk under a ladder in my time. Of course I always look up, isn't that what any sane person would do? I don't carry a rabbit's foot, nor do I bury St. Christopher statues in the front lawn of my listings. Broken mirrors, well I've broken my share, hummmm maybe that I need to review. All of the above is silly superstition, of which I do not subscribe. When it comes to real estate, well there are some things I … (14 comments)
featured: Real estate disintermediation?
- 09/05/06 12:55 PM
Wikipedia has us real estate folks on the "short list" soon to fall by the wayside of disintermediation. Jonathan Washburn's post focuses on what would happen to prices if 90% of the real estate agents retired in the next 6 months. First of all if 90% retired that would be good news. Because real estate adheres to the 80/20 rule. 20% of the agents do 80% of the business. So the 10% left would double their business. No problem here! The real question focuses on pricing. If the middleman were taken away, what would happen to real estate prices and services? … (12 comments)
featured: Easy Spell Checking for Dummies on Active Rain
- 08/31/06 06:21 AM
OK, so I'm a Dummy too. I have had the ability to spell check for years, but never noticed it until Active Rain. Do you have the Google Toolbar? If not you can download it here. On the Google Toolbar is the icon "ABC Check". You can use it to spell check your blogs and comments. It's easy to use, just be sure your cursor is located within the "entry" box. Click on it, the spell check will scan for mistakes, if one is found it is highlighted. You click on the highlighted word, then here's the tricky part, you have to figure … (14 comments)
featured: Infomercials of yester years
- 08/29/06 03:15 PM
Brian Brady has a great post discussing the value of purchasing property that is being pitched on TV. Years ago a real estate development company marketed "Colorado Ranchettes" to the people of Chicago. I knew because every so often I would get a call from a "ranchette owner" who wanted me to sell it or value it. On several occasions they would provide me with the original marketing materials that had promoted them to purchase this property. The brochures depicted wonderful Colorado settings taken against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Ironically, the photos told the story, but not all … (1 comments)
featured: Facing Foreclosure? Don't walk...call for help.
- 08/19/06 04:02 PM
In troubled times homeowners sometimes go into denial, thinking if the situation is ignored, it will go away. The fact is, if you are having trouble making your mortgage payment sooner or later you will have to face up to the situation. It's best you face up to it as soon as possible. Consulting a real estate professional is a good place to start. Perhaps with some help and planning you can get your home sold and avoid a foreclosure and further negative remarks on your credit report. How can a REALTOR help? If you have equity in your home (the difference between … (6 comments)
Soapbox musings for and about Denver relocation and real estate.
Author Bio: Kristal Kraft is a Colorado Real Estate Broker specializing in relocation to and from the Denver Metro area. She is an amateur photographer, cyclist, golfer and enjoys traveling just for the fun of it!
Blogs with properly placed photos mean a world of difference in presentation. Nicely lined up photos without a lot of white space are more appealing and attractive to the viewer. 
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