First Blog Posts

Sometimes, it can be scary to write your first blog post! Luckily, the supportive community of ActiveRain is just the place to start.

On this page you will find a running list of “first blog posts” written on ActiveRain by members of the real estate industry. These new bloggers have taken the leap to begin their blogging journey. Our first-time real estate bloggers deserve a big welcome and some extra encouragement from you!

Take a read, leave a comment, and say hello. You'll make that author’s day and help to give them a great first impression of our community.

Agent's first blog posts on ActiveRain

It was really interesting to notice as I took the required 120 hour pre-licensing classes, just how much of it consisted on lessons promoting honesty. At first I was impressed! Wow, I'm so glad they're putting so much emphasis on this! Then I started to have different thoughts come to my mind: Isn't being honest just a normal everyday thing for most people? I believe it is! And because I believe that way, and live my life that way, it's easy to spot those who aren't living according to the same code.  Cliche as it may sound, doing unto others as you'd have them do unto you, really sums all of this up. We are surrounded by abundance! There is more than enough for each of us to go around, and if we're struggling, there are so many places to go to get you unstuck. Life is a work in progres...
Comments 8
By Shaun Bannon, Home Inspectors Serving NC & SC
(Bannon Home Inspections )
1. Lot grading and drainage have a significant impact on the building, due to the direct and indirect damage that moisture can have on the foundation. It is especially important that surface runoff water be adequately diverted away from the home. Lot grading should slope away and fall a minimum of one (1) inch every foot for a distance of six (6) feet around the perimeter of the building.Read more here.Bannon Home Inspections provides quality, affordable home inspection service solutions to the greater Charlotte, NC area including: Monroe, Gastonia, Concord, Rock Hill, Fort Mill and more. Learn more about how we can help you by visiting our website. 
Comments 0
By Ailina Nelson, Learn To Dance In The Rain
(Vision Drive Realty)
Well some will accuse me of being biased but I could not help but re-blog my husband‘s post about our for baby Mr. Whiskey-A-Go-Go😍😊 Welcome to my new blog series: Whiskey's Wisdom! It's really just "Get After It" renamed, which was just "Take Action" renamed. So, really just an excuse to exploit my cute puppy😂!!!     "Write injuries in sand, kindnesses in marble."French Proverb     Your action for today is to remember someone who has been kind to you.     I did, and I sent her flowers.Would it shock you that it was the agent on the other side ofthe escrow I just closed?!She was awesome!   Design An Extraordinary Day!   👉 Get After It / Take Action Archives 👈   We work 100% By Referral! Our experienced team is coached by the #1 businesscoaching company in North America:Buffini & Company...
Comments 9
By Autumn Rivera, Real Estate Student in Utah
(Agent professor)
It baffles me to think about people going through all the steps to become a Realtor and once achieving their goal they think that they can be deceitful.  How can a person think that they are not going to get caught for little white lies?  I don't know of one person that has actually became successful based on lies and continues to be successful.  Sure you maybe lucky to get away with a lie but the tricks and games that must follow the lie is simply just more work than it would be to be honest to begin with.  I feel being honest from the beginning would be much more profitable and beneficial for the long run, I choose honesty.  Does anybody out there want to share a recent or past mistake that they had seen another make that just makes their blood boil in disappointment?
Comments 8
By Landmark Finance, Benefits of hiring a mortgage broker
(Landmark Finance)
Hiring a mortgage broker comes with numerous benefits whether you plan to refinance your current loan or purchase a new house. As a matter of fact, you will have to decide whether to hire a mortgage broker or work directly with a lender. Usually, a broker is referred to as someone who connects the buyer with the seller. They work hard to ensure that they find the best loan package for their clients. Therefore, they work as intermediaries and in most cases, they do everything to ensure that their clients get good value for their money or the fee cost.  First of all, mortgage brokers are considered the best choice by lenders. The reason behind this is because they have carried out numerous transactions with various banks hence they have most of their contacts. For example, banks in Montre...
Comments 9
By landmark realties, Landmark group specialize in Montreal Real Estate
(Landmark Realties)
Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa's housing markets will most likely be the ones to set the pace for price changes across the country. According to CMHC, prices will range from $743,100 to $831,100 on average in 2023 and from $756,500 to $867,800 on average in 2024. The federal government outlined a strategy to lower the cost of homeownership in Canada for first-time buyers in its 2022 budget. By the end of 2022, the average home price in Montreal is predicted to rise by almost 12%. Despite government vows to cool the market, house costs are expected to climb even more in 2022. This year's average price of a Montreal home is expected to rise even further, according to Royal LePage's House Price Survey and Forecast, which was issued on February 1. The average price of a property i...
Comments 7
By Thomas Myers, We Buy Houses AS IS, No Fees, Close in 7 days!
(Need To Sell My House Fast in Denver)
Social Media Marketing Tips For Real Estate Agents  Social media is a one-stop shop for buyers and sellers looking to either sell a property or buy their first or second home. For many realtors, conventional marketing strategies like bandit signs, radio ads, cold calling, and running newspaper ads to sell properties quickly worked well in the past. However, things have changed, and now social media is the new marketplace. What Social Media Platform is Best For Realtors?The best social media platform for realtors is either Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn at the moment. Facebook is arguably by far the most popular social media platform in real estate, followed by Instagram and last but not least LinkedIn. Social media marketing for real estate agents involves building trust among your au...
Comments 9
By Luke Marshall, Mortgage Broker Serving CO, OR, and FL
(Millennium Mortgage LLC)
For longer than I've been alive, my dad, John Marshall has been a hockey fan. From the Colorado Rockies to the Denver Grizzlies and then finally Colorado got an NHL team the year after I was born, the Colorado Avalanche.Their first year in Colorado they won the Cup, the first major Colorado sports team to win a championship EVER! That's when it all started, since day one our family has been supporting the Avalanche. Then in 2001 they won the Cup a second time but since then they've struggled to get close.The Avalanche had the fewest points in the NHL in the 2016-2017 season, over 20 points behind the second worst team. They've since rebounded and been in the playoffs the past 5 years and made the dream of winning a Cup a reality!In 2017 moved to Oregon and never took a break from follow...
Comments 11
By Eddie Weir, Real Estate agent serving the Greater Houston area
(JLA Realty - Houston, TX)
Why the Growing Number of Homes for Sale Is Good for Your Move Up Are you thinking about selling your current home? If so, the biggest question on your mind may be: if I sell now, where will I go? If this resonates with you, there’s something you should know. The number of homes coming onto the market is increasing and that could make it easier for you to move up this summer. According to the latest data from realtor.com, the number of homes being listed for sale, known as new listings, has increased consistently this year (see graph below): While this news has clear benefits for buyers who are craving more options for their home search, what does that mean for current homeowners like you? It gives you two distinct opportunities in today’s housing market. Opportunity #1: Take Advantage ...
Comments 7
By Avery Realty
(Avery Realty Group)
6033 Gowan Drive, Malakoff, TX 75148Click the link below for more information or call today!! (903) 887-4420Gorgeous waterfront house on acreage!!!WATERFRONT ACREAGE! ONE-OF-A-KIND property on approx. 9 acres with 325+/- WFF offers a recently renovated 3/2 lodge-style home with a huge open Great Room plus a bonus room perfect for entertaining or a bunkroom. New wood floors, concrete CT's and balconies with views forever. Water well and aerobic septic. Boat launch on the property. A small cabin on an addl offwater lot with an RV carport and hookups included. Iron pipe entry and a winding private drive pass thru 38 platted 80x90 lots with beautiful mature trees.
Comments 8
By Seth Halstead, Husband, Father, Realtor
(JLA Realty)
I think that we can all agree that this market has been super crazy for the last two years, and while it may be slowing in other parts of the country, here in Texas it is still super strong.  Today I am going to tell you about the town that I live in, Mont Belvieu.  My wife and I moved to Mont Belvieu in February of 2019 and have been blessed since moving here.  The schools are the highly rated, Barbers Hill ISD.  The property values in the city have skyrocketed and the builders (there are many) just keep building homes. Tax rate remains low at around 2.2% on the North side of interstate 10 and 1.7% on teh South side of I-10.  City hall is currently being renovated and expanded, a new park is being added, and traffic has greatly improved recently (FM1409 has been finished to I-10 and wi...
Comments 3
By John Cockcroft, Home inspector for 20 years in Florida.
(Nature Coast Home Inspections)
Appraisal came in too low?If your appraisal came in too low you may want to change the financing to an FHA 203k as they get a 10% bump on the appraisal if needed. So, if you are doing a conventional loan and the appraisal comes in a little low you have a couple of options.1. renegotiate the sales price.2. Walk and find another home, or3. merely change the financing to an FHA Limited 203k make a simple repair and gain a 10% advantage on the appraised value if the seller won't budge from their sales price. Lets keep these deals together so you get paid.  
Comments 3
By Bailee Hutchinson, Let's live a life of changing the world together.
(Bailee Hutchinson)
Anytime you are furthering yourself to push forward in your career, sit back, and realize the chip on your shoulder leaves once you are completely honest.
Comments 5
By Michael Al, Specializing in FHA 203k Consulting
(Michigan Inspection Services, LLC.)
Just signed up and I'm looking forward to leaning from the community. My specialty is renovation loan consulting.
Comments 7
By Lando Matthews, HUD Consultant
(LCM Inspections LLC)
Anxious to get started and looking forward to learning what I can from the community as well as offing my expertise when requested.
Comments 7
By Jon Hempel, A Trusted Source for Home/Well/Septic Inspections
(New Age Inspection LLC)
We get questions on this subject all the time. Everyone wants to know how many 203k loans were done in our area during the last year?  Like the original blog states however it really doesn't matter as we can create 203k projects all over the place from scratch and increase these numbers dramatically. Let me know if we may be of assistance on your next 203k project. How many 203k's were closed in my area last year? I get asked this question regularly, so I posted it on my website and still get asked so here is the link. https://apps.hud.gov/pub/chums/f17fvc/203k.cfm Now that you know that information who cares? It really doesn't matter how many were done last year in your area. I can go into any city in the USA and get 40 jobs in 60 days.  What? That would be 40 property sales, 40 loans,...
Comments 5
By kim sungnyon, Banking Instruments
( WEYBRIGHT FSL LIMITED)
As a Finance and Investment Company who is a Premier Provider of Trade Finance, Project Finance & Funding; We also offer discountable Bank Instruments at rates being as low as Two Percent (2%) of the required BG | SBLC | DLC | LC | PB | MTN | Bank Drafts Face Value.We offer basically a wide range of Financial Instruments including;- Standby Letters of Credit- Bank Guarantees- Deferred / Documentary Letters of Credit- Red Clause Letters of Credit- Usance Letters of Credit- Performance Guarantees- Demand Guarantees- POF messages- Pre Advice Message- Comfort Letters- Ready Willing and Able (RWA) messages; and we are able to complete a transaction within 48 to 72 hours depending on the requirement of the Lessee / Buyer Side.Should you have an interest in the Lease and Sale of these, kindly ...
Comments 2
By Kourtney Barela
(Agent Professor)
When becoming a real estate agent and choosing a brokerage to start your career in, it's important to gauge what kind of supervisor you will have. Are you going into an environment where you will be supported, given guidance, and managed properly; or, are you going to be walking through your career blindly with no structure or anyone to turn to in difficult situations? Having a good relationship with your broker is extremely important to you and your success. It is imperative that they take their role as your supervisor seriously. As we step into the real estate world, we typically only see the good side of things from our peers and influences in the community. We see the "freedom" they have the social events they get to attend, and of course the money. What we don't often see are the s...
Comments 0
By Greg Tresler, We Buy Houses For Cash As Is! House Buyers Florida
(House Buyers Florida)
Google is the most popular search engine on the internet. It's also a ranking system, and you can use this to your advantage by making sure that when people do searches on Google they will end up seeing your business listing first! The 5 Pillars of Google discusses how one should dominate listings at #1 for their keywords so it looks like what users expect - which means higher rankings than ever before possible. Want to get your business at the top of Google search? Check this out!We're hosting a FREE webinar weekly: "How to Dominate the First Page of Google for Hot Leads?" hosted by Greg Tresler of Digital Marketing Evolutions.Join us to learn how to grow your business with the help of Google. You can also check out our Facebook group namely "How to Dominate the First Page of Google" t...
Comments 5