real estate: QR Codes? If Delta Airlines is On Board and Best Buy is Buying, why wouldn't I use them?
- 11/02/10 12:28 AM
When QR Codes hit the front page of the Raleigh News and Observer, in a story by Sue Stock that proposes that 25% to 33% of Americans own smartphones, it is a pretty good indication that they are soon going mainstream in the USA. Why would I resist? When the headline starts off with "Creative Marketers..." how could I not read the article? When the article's lead photo is of a QR Code on a Realtor's sign, what could be more appropriate to me as I work in real estate? Creative marketers find new uses for QR codes Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/02/775142/creative-marketers-find-new-uses.html#ixzz147eejnZV Funny thing... … (7 comments)
real estate: QR Codes: The First QR Bus is Rolling out of the Station...
- 10/14/10 02:38 AM
QR Codes: The first QR Bus is rolling out of the station. QR Code use for real estate is getting more buzz this year. It is not yet too late to be an "Early Adapter" of QR Codes, but I sense we are near to an explosion in QR Code use. Smartphones are rapidly increasing their market share vs. conventional cell phones, and that increase will drive the explosion of QR Code use. "Early Adapter?" Those are the folks who will lead in using QR Codes for listings, virtual tours, photo galleries, contact information, bumper stickers, business cards, etc, etc, when most others … (7 comments)
real estate: Read Receipt Requests on Spam? Sheesh....
- 10/07/10 07:37 AM
How to make your business even more persona non grata at my place? It isn't hard. Spam me multiple times each week, with a nuisance "Read Receipt Request" attached to your email. And, refuse to remove the Read Receipt Request when asked multiple times to do so. The things pop up when I "Delete" in Outlook, and pop up again when I go to empty the "Deleted Items" folder, unless I have said "Yes" or "No." I just now put an entire Regional Homebuilder domain into the Spam File. This affects multiple neighborhoods in Raleigh and Cary and surrounding areas, their corporate marketing, and it's … (2 comments)
real estate: What does "Totally Renovated!" mean? Is that with Minor or Major Oversights?
- 10/03/10 01:52 PM
"Down to the studs renovation" has different meaning to different people. "All New" brings some connotations to me, connotations which need to be confirmed. I'm a big believer in renovation, in updating older homes to modern standards as much as is practical. And when a home is renovated down to the studs, there are some items that are much more efficiently done at that time. When a home is "better than new," and the owner mentions investing well over 6 figures in complete renovation, shouldn't the polybutylene piping be replaced? Why should we even have to have a polybutylene conversation in a "better … (11 comments)
real estate: Why Might Buyers Be Indecisive? Because They Listen To Too Many "Experts!"
- 08/30/10 09:53 AM
Buy! Buy! Buy! It's a GREAT time. "In Defense of Homeownership." NY Times . Oh, NO! NO! NO! Don't Buy! You will die a pauper, be responsible for Residential Armageddon, destruction of the planet, and the end of all value in society! "The Case Against Homeownership" Time Magazine drivel. . Buy! Sell? No, Hold! Don't be too hasty to jump into anything. You might be able to pick up an easy check for buying a short sale or a foreclosure! "Another Home Buyer Tax Credit?" Realty Check on CNBC. . So, Mr. and/or Ms. Consumer are trying to get a little clarity in their consideration of the … (8 comments)
real estate: "There's NO place like Home!" Sir Walter Scott knew, just as any great agent knows
- 08/08/10 01:59 AM
"Breathes there the man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land! Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned, As home his footsteps he hath turned From wandering on a foreign strand!" Sir Walter Scott was writing about patriotism in 1805 when he composed this Canto to "The Lay of the Last Minstrel," but I think it rings true today on a very personal level in real estate work, in helping clients achieve ownership of a property where they can put down roots, create memories, raise families, and sometimes stay for generations. That is what we do with Buyers. We … (3 comments)
2. Everyone doesn't share or appreciate your vision or perspective.
3. You can't waste time dwelling on missed shots.
4. You should plan to make the most of Second Chances.
5. You should be open to considering a new angle now and then.
6. The sun will come up tomorrow.
7. Stay Focused! … (13 comments)
real estate: "I am not an attorney" is NOT a quaint slogan. It is a fact of life.
- 06/28/10 07:09 AM
"I am not an attorney" is a phrase that is confusing to some consumers. I can understand that. They often do not recognize the boundaries and limitations of a real estate agent's job, or an attorney's job, for that matter. In North Carolina, we brokers cannot draft contracts. We can complete standard forms as offered to us from the NC Association of Realtors in cooperation with the NC Real Estate Commission and the North Carolina Bar Association. We can fill in the blanks, hopefully competently. On our standard forms, "Additional Provisions Addendum" and the "Repair Request and Agreement," we can enter desired repairs and … (6 comments)
real estate: Customer Service as Customer Abuse? What, if anything, are they THINKING?
- 06/28/10 01:01 AM
Fumble drills in Corporate marketing materials and public image building. It is so fascinating to see a major corporation shoot themselves in the foot over a couple of bucks, or for a stupid policy, or just because they think no one will notice. Ebay: I have been a happy Ebay buyer for about 4 years. All in all it has been a good experience, a very good experience even. I put my success and satisfaction rate at 99% or better. So, I turn to Ebay quite often when I want something that I think I can't find in typical retail or … (13 comments)
real estate: Stepping out in Boston, MA
- 05/19/10 03:03 PM
My Sweetie mentioned that she ought to take me somewhere to celebrate her wedding anniversary. Well, that made sense to me. See, I have a significant survival instinct. She mentioned Charleston, SC, Myrtle Beach, SC, Savannah, GA. I came back with Wilmington, NC and went down in flames instantly. So, I "thought about it." Which usually means "I forgot about it." Not this time. See, a couple of years ago, Sweetie had mentioned we should go to Boston one day. And somewhere in the dusty recesses of my mind, one romantic little gray matter cell sparked to life, and I … (14 comments)
real estate: Cary, NC: Whitebridge is in a great location
- 02/06/10 11:48 PM
Whitebridge is a mature neighborhood of 110 homes in Cary, NC. Situated west of Davis Drive, Whitebridge is just south of the intersection with High House Road.
View current Active Home Listings in Whitebridge.
Raleigh, with North Carolina State University, is a 25 minute commute. The Research Triangle Park, "RTP," is a little shorter drive. Both commutes can vary during heavy drive-time traffic.
SAS Institute and Engle Homes developed the neighborhood in the mid/late 1990's. 110 modern transitional homes comprise Whitebridge, with home sizes ranging from 2380 to 3850 square feet.
Common Whitebridge home features include … (0 comments)
real estate: Home Sale Gone "Up In Smoke?" Did Facebook help?
- 02/03/10 05:01 AM
I think everyone knows that emotions run high in real estate transactions. Sad but true. They do. It is smart to exhibit some self-control during a negotiation and transaction. Heard through the rumor mill recently that agents now have to patrol their clients' social media comments on transactions. Wow. It seems like everyone Googles everyone anymore. And Facebook and Twitter are two great venues for spilling the beans to the whole doggone world via Google, or via a Facebook search. Who will be the first to see a contract negotiation implode under the weight of inanities posted in social media? … (8 comments)
real estate: Cary, NC: Edgehill Farm, A variety of affordable housing options in a central location
- 01/10/10 09:48 PM
Edgehill Farm is an affordable neighborhood of 256 homes of various types, in Cary, North Carolina. Edgehill Farm is situated northwest of the intersection of High House Road and Old Apex Road, and is accessed from either High House Road or Old Apex Road. There is little through traffic, so streets are commonly quiet. View current Active Home Listings in Edgehill Farm. View Larger Map
Raleigh and NC State University are an easy 20 minute commute. The regional employment center, the Research Triangle Park, "RTP," is about 25 minutes. Heavy drive-time traffic can affect either commute. … (3 comments)
real estate: Cary, NC: Dutchess Village is affordable, central, and heavily wooded!
- 01/08/10 11:43 PM
Touring Dutchess Village, Cary, NC: View current Active Listings in Dutchess Village. View Larger Map Dutchess Village is a mature and affordable neighborhood in the center of Cary, NC. Dutchess Village is situated off High House Road, with the entrance just across from the Edgehill Farm entrance. Access to the neighborhood is from High House Road, or through Oakwood Heights on Howland Avenue.
Raleigh and NC State University are an easy 20 minute commute. The Research Triangle Park, "RTP," is about 25 minutes. Heavy traffic can lengthen either commute.
The neighborhood was originally developed in the … (3 comments)
real estate: I'm no attorney, but "Who gets your kids?
- 12/23/09 12:55 AM
I try to work this conversation into every closing meeting. With the attorney at the table. Particularly with young first-time home buyers, I like to ask, "What are your plans if something should happen to both of you?" Usually I get a pause and slightly blank look. "So, who gets the new house and the kids? Do you have wills?" Too often the answer is, "We don't. We know we need to get that done." The closing attornies I usually introduce clients to in Cary or Raleigh also can help them with that service. And I defer to the attorney to explain that when parents … (10 comments)
real estate: REBLOG: "Home Inspectors Are Just Placebos"
- 12/20/09 11:33 PM
I had to comment on and Reblog this post by Jay Markanich, regarding home inspections in new construction. Builders have another opportunity to shine when buyers have home inspections. 1. They can show the buyer how few and how minor the gigs are. 2. They can prove to the buyer how responsive they are to issues with the house. Of course, this opportunity only presents itself to a builder who cares to hide nothing, and is confident in his product. But, in North Carolina, it is illegal for a licensed real estate agent to in any way dissuade a buyer from having a home inspection … (3 comments)
3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage, 1894SF, $289,000.00
What can I say? With a list of builder upgrades that doesn't seem to end, and improvements afterward by the owners, this affordable Cary NC home was built in 2007 and is dressed to kill. It is perfect for the first time buyer with an eye on an $8000 tax credit! Granite. Stainless Steel appliances. 42" overhead cabinets. Large, hard-working kitchen island. Range, refrigerator, washer and dryer convey. Desirable open floor plan. Gas log fireplace Wood floors throughout the main level. Surround sound wiring in living room. … (7 comments)
real estate: Raleigh-Cary ranks 30th in Brookings Institution's assessment of the Top 100 Metro Area's Economic and Employment Muscle
- 12/11/09 02:16 AM
A pretty good rating for Raleigh and Cary, NC, in light of the current economic recovery. When calculating "economic and employment muscle," the Brookings Institution ranks Raleigh-Cary in 30th place among the top 100 metro areas. With some diversity of our economy, we have avoided much of the impact of the recession, and kept relatively stronger than many areas around the country. From a housing standpoint, I think lower new home inventory in Cary, Raleigh, and surrounding towns and availability of desirable locations will help propel real estate and construction into 2010. Of course, while real estate is local, financing is dependent on national trends. … (2 comments)
I'm fooling around to get my ducks in a row for videoblogging and video presentation of properties and came across Jon Rawlinson's videos on Vimeo. That one was fun. I fell in love with this one: Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona) from Jon Rawlinson on Vimeo. Do yourself a favor. Take it full screen HD, and turn the sound up a little bit. … (8 comments)
real estate: I had lunch with David Williams yesterday
- 10/14/09 01:05 PM
What fun! I always enjoy bantering with David Williams, and lunch now and then sets the table for a great conversation. Yesterday, sitting at the Hibernian in Cary, on the patio in 75 degree weather was no exception. They also make a great BLT at the Hibernian, and the coffee is rich and tasty, too. So, yesterday we dropped names of people we both know. Of course, since I'm a carpetbagger and David is a lifelong Cary, NC, native, his Rolodex is much more impressive than mine. And it is fun to fling a rumor on David before he hears it … (4 comments)
When QR Codes hit the front page of the Raleigh News and Observer, in a story by Sue Stock that proposes that 25% to 33% of Americans own smartphones, it is a pretty good indication that they are soon going mainstream in the USA. Why would I resist?
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