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My First Blog EVER and I'm Scared to Death

By Mike Kemper

Real Estate Agent with My Home Group SA586451000

July 19, 2012 08:42 AM

Hi, this is my very first blog post and I am terrified. I thought if I simply acted like Nike and JUST DID IT... it might get easier!

I Love to talk and write, so I figured this would be a natural fit, but it is kind of hard writing something that I want to be perfect at but will never be. To add insult to injury, all my posts will be forever immortalized on the Internet. Scary to say the least!

Anyways, I hope to be able to provide useful information relating to the real estate market specifically located in the West Valley of Phoenix, AZ. I have lived in the West Valley since November of 1999 when I moved here from Livorno, Italy (Yes, I was in the Air Force for 10 Years of my life).

Oh, I just noticed while typing this blog, there are no little red squiggly lines for misspelled words! GREAT!

I look forward to things to come and hopefully build some relationships with the Active Rain Community.

Hello World!

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Elayne Forgie

Elayne Forgie Interiors - West Palm Beach, FL

Home Stager. Photo Stylist

You're doing great and welcome to the Active Rain Community!

Jul 20, 2012 04:28 AM

Marte Cliff

Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID

Your real estate writer

Welcome! And thanks - for your service to our country.

When I wrote my very first post back in January of 2008, a very kind member chimed in to give me some pointers. She said it well, so here is a cut and paste from Karen Ann Stone's long ago comment:

After you have written your post, you are allowed to select up to five groups to have your blog post listed in... beside simply being listed on the general overall blog roll that you see when you click on "blogs." at the top of your profile page.

That way, your individual posts are seen by many more people, and your chances of having it read, and being able to establish relationships with more people is enhanced. You can find these groups by one of two ways. Either click on the word "groups" at the top of your profile page, and then scan the groups till you find one that interests you, then click on it, look it over, and if you so choose, click on "join group."

Once you do that, then whenever you finish writing a blog post, and are about to click on the submit button, you can choose five groups from the list of those you have joined... to display your post in.

A second way of choosing groups is to find a blog writer on Active Rain whose posts you seem to like, and then click on their profile page, and look at the left column at all the groups they have joined. If you seem to like their writing, it is more likely that you will also like some of they groups they have joined. For an example of what I mean, click on my name at the bottom of this comment, and then look at all the groups I have listed. Lots of groups covering all manner of subjects... to pick from depending on the subject of your newly written posts. Take care... and please email me with any questions. I was a newbie only five months ago, and pretty much stumbled around on my own to learn this stuff.

Jul 20, 2012 04:40 AM

Margaret Woda

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Crofton, MD

Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation

Welcome to Activerain! New friends, new business, new skills... what more could you ask for?!?

Jul 20, 2012 05:01 AM

Beverly Carlson

Carlson Properties 325-721-2429 - Abilene, TX

Abilene's Staging Realtor

I lurked for awhile before I wrote my first blog, but it gets easier once you get started. There is always something to talk about in real estate. Welcome to active Rain!

Jul 20, 2012 05:36 AM

Ronald DiLalla

Century 21 Discovery DRE 01813824 - Anaheim, CA

No. Orange Cty Real Estate

Welcome to Active Rain ...Congrats on your first blog....

Jul 20, 2012 06:11 AM

Donna Foerster

HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO

Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

Hello Mike and Michelle and welcome to Active Rain. This is an amazing community of Real Estate professionals that are willing to share, learn from each other and build relationships. I've enjoyed every moment in the Rain! Look forward to hearing more from you in the days ahead!

Jul 20, 2012 06:49 AM

Somer Padilla

Beth Ferester & Company, The Woodlands - The Woodlands, TX

The Woodlands & Spring, TX

Welcome aboard!!! It's only just the beginning...

Jul 20, 2012 07:12 AM

Elyse Berman, PA

LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL

Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Welcome to AR and blogging! Like Nike says, Just do it! Just start writing and keep on going. Take some classes at AR University. Read some other blogs that interest you. And keep on blogging!!!

Jul 20, 2012 12:07 PM

Bryan Robertson

Los Altos, CA

The first one is the hardest and this one looks great. It's much better than my first blog. Welcome to Activerain. I look forward to seeing more from you.

Jul 20, 2012 01:33 PM

Phil Leng

Retired - Kirkland, WA

Phil Leng - Retired

Hi Mike,

I write my posts in Google docs.

Do videos on YouTube.

Store all pics on Dropbox.

Post in Firefox, and add pictures and videos and maps in Firefox.

Always post to draft first, and only when you are happy with it do you make it public.

You can also work ahead, doing 4 or 10 posts in rough form on Google docs as the ideas come to you.

Phil

Jul 20, 2012 07:30 PM

Mike Kemper

My Home Group - Surprise, AZ

MRP, IMSD, SFR & VA Loans

Once again, Thank You to everyone for the overwhelming support and welcoming comments!!!

Debbie Reynolds, thanks for letting me know you service Ft. Campbell. If I come across anyone PCSing to that area I will let you know and my wife and I service the Luke AFB community.

Anna 'Banana', thanks for calling me yesterday and going over some key things I need to update with my profile and signature. Also, thanks for welcoming me to your BananaTude group. I look forward to reading many posts and posting relevant content in the near future.

Marte Cliff, thank you for posting what Karen wrote you long ago. I copy and pasted it so I can refer to it whenever I need help.

Phil Leng, thanks for the detailed pointers! It makes complete sense to use Google and Dropbox. Also, I like the way you use videos. Way to Go!!

To everyone, Have an Awesome Blessed rest of your weekend.!

Mike

Jul 21, 2012 08:14 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Retired Home Stager/Redesign

Mike & Michelle- a big welcome to ActiveRain and it looks like you're off to a great start. You've already done one of the 3 things AR members can benefit from 1. write a blog, The next 2 are read the posts here, and #3 would be comment on the posts of others. I know it's been mentioned but don't forget about the AR University free webinars.

Jul 21, 2012 11:36 AM

Karen Anne Stone

New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth Real Estate

Mike & MIchelle: Wow... what a great first blog post. And... what an awesome welcome you have been given.

Please let me join in Welcoming You to Active Rain. I am glad you're here. Active Rain is a great place to learn, to share, to make business connections, and to meet people and form new relationships.

Also... it was so nice of Marte in her comment #56 to share how I welcomed her when she joined. Marte is a great Active Rainer, and contributes much.

What a brave step you have taken. I am proud of you. And... Mr and Ms Gold Star... how wonderful is that !

I know Phil in his comment above has made many great suggestions for you. Just make sure you don't feel swamped by all of them. Developing a good focus is a great place to start, and then expand from there.

Read as much as you can, and whenever you see a great post... look at the five groups that writer/blogger has included their post in... click on them, and if you like those groups, join them. All that does is simply give you an additional "billboard" to display your posts on. The more groups you "include" each of your posts in, the more people, and their eyeballs... (LOL) that will see your posts.

I noticed you have subscribed to my blog, and I thank you for that. I will subscribe to yours in return. Take a look at some of my posts, and notice which groups I have included my posts in. They are great groups... and joining them will help your exposure.

Once more... Welcome to Active Rain! I am glad you are here. If there is any way I can help you... please ask. Also... you mentioned Joni. Joni... is awesome. I am sure she will be a great help to you, as well.

Jul 22, 2012 02:10 PM

Lisa Von Domek

Lisa Von Domek Team - Dallas, TX

....Experience Isn't Expensive.... It's Priceless!

Hello Mike and Michelle,

Great first blog - congratulations, you are on your way! Welcome to Active Rain, you will love this community and we are all here to help one another. Have a wonderful week!

Jul 26, 2012 09:08 AM

Debb Janes

Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA

Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

What? No reason to be afraid and you already have a beauty of a gold star under your name. If you need any help with anything - let one of us with the orange underneath our photos know - it's our job to help you out...so holler when you want some help. I'm here. D

Jul 26, 2012 09:12 AM

Jill Sackler

Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY

LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

The part where you say the post will be forever immortalized on the Internet is the same thing that scared me to death in the beginning. What if I say something stupid? What if I want to change my mind? Funny, but after you've been blogging for a while, you forget these fears. They're still true but, somehow, you learn to relax and be yourself and you stop worrying so much about what others will think. Congrats and good luck.

Jul 26, 2012 09:36 AM

Teral McDowell

Referral Patners LLC - Murphy, TX

Congratulations! You made the first step and it gets better as you go along. My first blog was a Wordless Wednesday which required a photo only and after 3 years I am still plugging away. Welcome to the Rain and congrats on the feature!

Jul 26, 2012 11:37 AM

Shanna Day Team Leader AZ & UT - Call 480-415-7616

Keller Williams Realty EV (AZ) & Keller Williams SLC (UT) - Mesa, AZ

Top 0.33 of 1% of 79,000 AZ Realtors

Hi - Please tell me with only 1 blog (your first), how did you rack up so many "other" points? I would love to know your secret. Trade ya a lead for some points? :) Shanna

Aug 26, 2012 07:26 PM

Mike Kemper

My Home Group - Surprise, AZ

MRP, IMSD, SFR & VA Loans

Shanna, thanks for the comment, but there is nothing I did special to gain the points. I have been a member of AR for a while now, logged into the system nearly every day (100 pts), commented on blog posts (25 pts), had a couple people join (not sure how many pts), received 1,000 promotional pts for becoming a Rainmaker, posted my first blog (250 pts and had it re-blogged more pts) and long story short, that's how I am over 40k pts.

After my first blog and the success of it, I got nervous and have gone through every AR webinar and am signed up for raincamp on Thursday to learn how to possibly repeat my success. I have about 12 blogs ready to go after raincamp, so more pts should be coming.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Oh...Great Job on having a Mega Team in multiple states!! Talk to you soon ~ Mike

Aug 27, 2012 03:20 AM

Tom Jansson

Acuity Home Inspections - Chicago, IL

Chicago Area Home Inspector - InterNACHI Certified

Hi, Mike!

What a great title for a first post. Looks like things have been working out well for you!

Feb 15, 2013 12:40 AM

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Mike Kemper

MRP, IMSD, SFR & VA Loans

Real Estate Resources

Mike Kemper has been selling Real Estate in the West Valley of Phoenix with his wife Michelle since 2002 and is very experienced in working with First-time buyers, Sellers, Short Sales, Foreclosures and Military Personnel moving to or from Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in Glendale, AZ. Mike is a 10 Year Veteran of the Air Force himself and believes strongly in Integrity, Customer Service, and Excellence in All he and his team does. He Loves Referrals to!!!

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