Archives of real estate blog entries for December 01, 2007

Featured blog posts


By Missy Caulk, Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
(Missy Caulk TEAM)
Brian Block, from Alexandria, VA is the founder of the group Active Rain Block Party. He started this group so we can share about our success on Activerain. Hardly a week goes by that someone doesn't post on, Are you getting business from Activerain? I always answer YES ! Here are some of success in my busineses that have come about because of blogging on Activerain. Currently, I have sold one house where a consumer found my blog and called me. 1358 Quail Hollow was sold. A referral from Maureen Francis, the number one blogger in Michigan on Activerain referred a buyer to us and they are already in their new home. I have another house listed at 3008 Green Valley in Ann Arbor, she found me by reading my blog.  Kelly Sibilsky, from Lake Zurich, Ill. A fantastic blogger on Activerain, refe...
Comments 132
By Mike Jones, Mike Jones NMLS 223495
(SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) )
I'm addicted to statistics in the pursuit of "What Works?"   For Active Rainers, "what works" is visibility to Google.  It's what makes the phone ring.  The top three Rainers in Tucson, AZ have achieved this visibility on Active Rain in very different ways. Tens of thousands in the Active Rain ranks never get a call.  They're the ones who joined, created a profile, uploaded a photo (maybe) and never posted a single sentence to their blog. I say "they" because few of them can be addressed in the first person.  They came, they joined, and they faded away.  You--not they--are here reading my blog. You persevered.  You're present.  You're still... reading, commenting and blogging. accumulating Active Rain points each time you "touch" another Rainer.   moving higher in your local rankings on...
Comments 113
By Jason Sardi, Your Agent for Life
(Auto & Home & Life Insurance throughout North Carolina)
In the past 7 years, I've learned a lot from fellow peers and the people I've worked for, they are called clients in a corporate type of sense.  I have no barometer in which to gauge what is going on here (With our world, with Real Estate), I don't know the immediate cause or eventual solution.  That's not an easy thing to absorb.The fact is....rates are low.  They are real low.  And while I've listened and heard the Consumer Confidence or lack there of....I've also listened to us....and me.  As one of my prospective clients put it, " Depressed housing market, depressed housing stats, depressed housing prices, depressed stock market, and depressed 401K. How depressing.   My company is reorganizing, and although we are told we are in good standing, I just don't think that this is the bes...
Comments 79
By Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty, Florida Space Coast Homes
(Waves Realty)
I read quite a few posts from agents giving others ideas on to attract buyers and sellers through Internet leads. While some of the advice is quite good we rarely see a post on what to do once you receive a strong Internet lead. You must develop a strong follow up system. This system must flag you each time you need to make contact with your lead...do not try to do your follow up all at once...you will never keep up, or something will come up and you will push or postpone your follow up. DO NOT USE A DRIP follow up system. This is the quickest way to send your clients to another website (clients perceive it as junk however different from snail mail they can block your next offering...or worse yet not even open it!). Each follow up must be personalized from you to them...no generated mai...
Comments 46

Blog posts


By Linda M. Cataldo, Beach Destinations Realty Myrtle Beach
(Dock Street Realty)
  I was inspired by an article I read in the paper to think about our move to Myrtle Beach from New York in 2004 and the difference it has made on the quality of our life here.  Every time I talk to friends or family in New York, the first question is 'how's the weather up there?"  it seems trivial but this question is the primary reason for our move. The usual responses are:  it's gray, it's not raining, the snow is pretty but we are staying in today...The area we came from has very few days of sunshine.  As I look out my window this morning I appreciate the fact that Myrtle Beach has 260+ days of sunshine on average.  What a difference the sun makes in your life, even though the temperature may only be 40 degrees.  Getting out is so much easier when it is sunny.  (There must be some p...
Comments 0
By Rosemary Brooks, The Mother & Daughter Realty Team
(BMC Real Estate - 209-910-3706)
$425,000 This charming 2/1 with 1106 sq ft/lot: 3952 sq ft is centrally located. Entry is foyer w/living dining area combo; kitchen/eating area combo, master bedroom is elevated w/3 steps, basement. It has a small front yard and large backyard with a 2-car carport and shed. This home is located in a quiet neighborhood.Short sale: Price, conditions, terms and Commission (50/50 split) requires lender approval.Call listing agents for showings @ 866-750-8282: ask for Rosemary or D'Adrea.MLS inf: Central Valley:# 8149811  Metrolist: # 70120896 the Mother and Daughter Realty Team @ Perfect Financial Solutions 866-750-8282
Comments 4
By Greg Flanagan, CEO/Founder SCSold.com
(SCSold.com Real Estate )
Let me start by saying I am Catholic, I do celebrate Christmas with gift giving, church going, song singing and egg nog drinking. For the past 5-6 years it just hasn't felt like Christmas though. Yeah I'll admit the kids got older, we moved to a warmer climate, and the artificial tree has replaced the fresh cut(?) spruce, but it still should feel like Christmas. As I sat here this morning answering a question on another site I realized why it doesn't feel like Christmas. I was typing a goodbye and typed Have a Safe Holiday Season. It's not Christmas because I'm not participating and promoting it. Nobody says Merry Christmas anymore. Nobody says anything. In an effort not to piss people off or offend their delicate physcy(Ie?)'s folks have stopped greeting each other with the words Merry...
Comments 7
By Mark Bustamonte, LBD Digital Marketing
(LBD Digital Marketing)
December 10th Tri-Star Consulting Group strategic partner United Credit Education Services will launch its new program MyCareTM Wills and Trust. MyCareTM is a program for consumers that do not have a Living Will, Living Trust or a Financial Power of Attorney. This program will allow for the client to complete the required information online. The cost for this program will be $499.00. The addition of this product to the UCES product line according to UCES Partner, Mike Toloff "Is a part of the strategic plan to make UCES a complete financial services company" Mike also stated "This product has received a very positive response from Corporate entities that were sampled." United Credit Education Services, a credit repair company started in 2004 was originally denied BBB membership to do th...
Comments 0
By Jeffrey Johnson, Home Staging Pros Orlando FL.
(Home Staging Pros. Orlando Fl. 32801)
Hello. Thank you for taking the time to read this brief Blog.   We know the difficult situation today’s real estate market puts on you and your clients. Our job is to help you market and sell your properties quickly and for top dollar. In response to the current conditions we have created affordable home staging solutions for you and your clients. Staging goes a long way in making a home show better and often times sell faster than a home that has not been professionally staged. A few things to keep in mind: Our initial consultations are always free! Staging costs are usually tax deductible for the homeowner. We have packages starting for as little as $245.00. A small investment can potentially yield huge returns. We offer discounted rates if you are paying for staging as part of your ...
Comments 1
By Karen Kruschka, - "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"
(RE/MAX Executives)
Over the past 31 years my husband and I have developed a rather substantial Sphere of Influence.  We have sold first homes to children of our clients.  These buyers were four and five years old when we first met their parents.There is no question Search Engine Optimization is a currently important aspect of the real estate business.  It is also most important to remember SOI was here long before SEO and will still be vital long after SEO is replaced by whatever technology comes down the road.Keeping in contact with clients seems like a "no brainer", but it takes as much involvement as SEO of your website.  We have clients with whom we have had as many as 6 or more transactions.  For example, I sold a young USAF 2nd lieutenant and his wife their first home - he was a Lieutenant Colonel w...
Comments 21
By Colleen Irwin, Creative Real Estate Solutions...
(Retired)
I have been writing about Marco Island for some time.  The topics are varied and at times it is hard to find topics that might interest you. To make it easier, here is a list of Topics of Interest on the Marco Island Real Estate-Homes and Condos on Marco Island:Angler's Cove Art League of Marco IslandBarron Collier Beachesbeachfront condosBill MossBingoBLOG Action Dayboat anchoringboating condoburrowing owlsCanastaCape MarcoCapt. Brien's Seafood and Raw BarCaxambas BridgeCaxambas ParkChicago TribuneCity ResourcesCollier CountyConcrete FloorsCondo hotelDale GlonDeltona Corporationdensity rightsEnterprise ConstructionFishingFlooring TrendsFlorida Home gratitudegulf of mexicoHideaway BeachHistoryHome EntertainmentHome SearchHurricaneInsuranceIsland ParadiseJob HuntingKey MarcoLotsMackle Pa...
Comments 1
By Don Price
(Mid Carolina Realty LLC)
While I put together the piece on 'Positioning' associated not only with Pinehurst, NC real estate but real estate for sale everywhere, I noticed something unsettling with my renewed efforts on Active Rain.While checking my SERP for the Pinehurst real estate sites this morning something very scary happened - all the sites I had put a reciprocal link back to Active Rain on fell tremendously.On the 2 Pinehurst real estate sites that I placed Active Rain links on the homepage fell either completely off the charts or from the 1st page to the 10th page -in the 90s.On my main site I went from a top 5 to barely hagging on to the top 10, and I put the link on an obscure interior page.This wasn't just 1 search engine but spread across the main 3. Now I have experienced a sudden drop on 1 site or...
Comments 5
By Janie Coffey, Uniting Extraordinary Homes w/ Extraordinary Lives
(First Coast Sotheby’s International Realty)
In Florida, and especially areas closer to big cities, horse owners on small acreage are faced with the manure management dilemma of just what to do with all that manure.... Since I visit small farms all day long, I tend to ask owners how they control their horse waste and am sometimes am surprised by their ingenuity.  A single 1,000 lb. horse generates around 50 lb. of manure per DAY (9 TONS a year), add to that bedding and shavings if you have them stall-kept and you can see the problem is large.  Keeping stockpiled manure for any length of time only invites odors and flies AND you have to be careful not to have it contaminate the ground water.  So, for you true horse lovers out there, grab a cup of coffee and take a stroll with me through the land of poop containment ;-) Spread it: S...
Comments 15
By Fran Gaspari, "The Title Man" - Title Insurance - PA & NJ
(Patriot Land Transfer, Inc.)
What Do Jackie Gleason, Synchronized Swimming, and Real Estate Have In Common? Not many Active Rainers remember 'The Jackie Gleason' show...a very popular live comedy show in the 60's! One of the features of the show was the weekly performances of the 'June Taylor Dancers'. This dancing troupe was noted first and foremost for their precision movements and graceful dancing style...they were characterized by their fluid motion, their precision dance moves, and their synchronized tempo...in short they epitomized 'choreography', the art of composition and arrangement of dances! I remember this being one of the first acts to be filmed from above...to show and highlight the gracefulness and synchratic action of the troupe of at least a dozen dancers. And June Taylor was the choreographer who ...
Comments 13
By Rosemary Brooks, The Mother & Daughter Realty Team
(BMC Real Estate - 209-910-3706)
 Right around the corner??? Yes, Christmas is right around the corner and here is a great useful tool that will help you in your real estate business.  Ask Santa to bring you a Flash drive!!!!Almost everyone who uses a computer knows the importance of regularly backing up his or her data files.  With the latest technology, you can back up files to a device that's so small you can carry it with you!This little device is called a Flash drive.  You can store from 2 megabytes up to 64 gigabytes of informaton on a small Flash memory chip.  The chip is encased inside a small plastic protector that can be carried in a pocket, attached as a key fog, or on a lanyard.  The common use of Flash drives is to transport and store files such as documents, pictures and videos.  You simply plug the Flash...
Comments 16
By Aslan Realty Advisors, LLC, Staying a step ahead with Pride!
Freezing the Teaser Rates for Certain ARMS Discussions are underway to temporarily freeze the teaser rates on ARMs for a a certain "class of borrower". The purpose of these discussions by the coalition are geared to reduce the number of foreclosures in 2008. The plan is being negotiated between regulators including the Treasury Department and a coalition of mortgage-related companies including Citigroup Inc., Wells Fargo & Co., Washington Mutual Inc. and Countrywide Financial Corp. People familiar with the talks say the individual members have agreed to follow any agreement reached by the coalition, which is called the Hope Now Alliance. Treasury officials say financial institutions are likely to set criteria that divide subprime borrowers into three groups: those who can continue to m...
Comments 12
By Ed Hughes, Natick Real Estate
(Andrew Mitchell & Company)
On the nice listGood Samaritan gives police envelope stuffed with cash lost by shopper Collette Martino (center) celebrated with her mother, Jeannette Brunelle, and daughter, Katy Dery, after money for Christmas gifts was returned. (Boston Globe Photo / Rose Lincoln) Email|Print| Text size - + By Stephanie Ebbert Globe Staff / December 1, 2007 MANSFIELD - A widow goes out Christmas shopping and stumbles onto an envelope stuffed with $770 cash.more stories like thisElderly woman loses hundreds of dollars in freak truck accidentRise in holiday calls strains police in mall communitiesFor traffic, Patriots have game planStores open holiday shopping season with discounts, expanded hoursBriefly, she considers buying an HDTV.But no. She turns the money over to police."We're all sitting around ...
Comments 2
By Jennifer Steck, Denver Real Estate
(Rocky Mountain Homescapes, Keller Williams, Denver Colorado)
There is no place like home. There is no place like home.My niece, Heather, sent around one of those "getting to know you" questionnaires the other day. You know the one.Where are the last four places you have lived?Where are the last four places you've worked?If you could be anywhere, where would you be?What have you traveled?When I answered the question about where you have lived, all four of my answers involved places in Colorado. I've never lived any place else. I'm one of those Colorado natives. I was born at Fort Carson, near Colorado Springs because my father was in the army. By the time I was three we were living in a house in Hoffman Heights in Aurora since my dad had by then been assigned to Fitzsimmons. I actually remember when both Fitzsimmons and Lowry were military bases a...
Comments 8
By Karen Martin Real estate agent Safe Harbor Realty, Westport, MA Realtor Helping Home Sellers & Buyers
(Safe Harbor Realty )
 the week of Nov 30, 2007, Mortgage rates fell sharply with rates on 30- year mortgages dropping to the lowest level in more than 2 years.  Averageing 6.10 %.  This was the lowest rate since Oct. 13, 2005 when rates stood at 6.03 %.  With home prices now much more affordable & good mortgage rates now may be a good time to buy a home and to find a great buy.  
Comments 0
By Jennifer Martin
(Letting License Expire in June 2010)
It was a VERY long week and I decided to take my kids out for support last night; we were all way over-due for some Great Wall Chinese and so we headed out for our "Night on the Town". Afterwards we decided to stop by Walmart because I like to have "Extra Gifts" for that just incase situation and I hadn't had the chance to walk down the gift set isle yet, so ... that's what we set out to do. WOW! That is my first reaction ... I feel like I hit the JackPOT this year! They had these adorable tins (which I intend to reuse): One had Egg-Nog Hot Cocoa in it The other was Ginger Bread Cookie Cocoa (Okay --- Those are for my house lol but guests will get to enjoy these incredible cocoa's. The tins have the nice latches and will be great for storing all kinds of things (Recycle in style I alwa...
Comments 2
By South Austin Real Estate Blog
(Sky Realty South Austin)
This week I had a solication call from a Real Estate Coaching Company.   I was willing to listen and see what they have to say so I set an appointment with the fella, Mark I think was his name.Welll... the day before the call Mark called me to make an appointment, I said, I thought we did that a couple of days ago?  Oh he said, yes there it is. on the appointed day.   Move forward another day, Mark called and I said I thought we had an appointment 20 minutes ago?  He said, well ,, I see someone has written over your name so .. I said, I am not in a place where I can speak with you about this ..  we rescheduled.Now, Im old, I forget things, so I carry this big old stupid book to keep me straight.  This fella sits at a desk and sounds sorta young, maybe under 40 anyway.  Where is his big ...
Comments 37
By Fedua "Sarah" Bandy
(Re/Max Signature Properties)
Sales Report By Area In Monmouth County New JerseyDecember 1st, 2007 Categories: Market ReportsBelow you will find the statistical data provided by the Monmouth County MLS in regards to closed sales for the month of November from 11/01/07 to 11/30/07, based on single family home status.If your town is not listed and you would like to receive a Free report for your particular area please contact The Bandy Group at 732.407.5713 and we will be happy to provide that report to you. Area              # of Sales     Average SalesColts Neck             9              $890,000  Freehold              15             $517,167Holmdel                3               $804,167Howell                  22              $462,500Manalapan          12              $603,750Marlboro              17              ...
Comments 0
By Maureen Maureen
Rockland Home Staging Home Staging - Rockland County NY Rockland County, NY 10962 Let Maureen Henry of Rockland Home Staging help you prepare your home for sale. Selling your Rockland County NY home can be a difficult. We specialize in getting homes ready for market. At Rockland Home Staging we use proven techniques to enhance your home so it will sell for top dollar. We will work within your budget to get your home in show condition. You cannot change the location of the home or the market but you can improve the condition which will increase the sales price. Leaving your home in 'as is' condition only helps to sell the competition. Call us today to take the guesswork out of getting your home Rockland County home ready for sale. (845)731-9510 Details Asking Price: Priceless Services -...
Comments 20
By Josette Skilling
(Keller Williams Capital Properties)
Single Family Homes Sold Through October 2007 - Bethesda, MD (Montgomery County) 20816StatusClose DateOriginal PricePrice at SaleSold PriceDiscountSubsidyDOMAddressSubdivisionSOLD8/31/2007$715,000$715,000$665,00093%$0164803 MONTGOMERY AVEGLEN COVESOLD1/12/2007$1,395,000$1,395,000$1,326,00095%$01695127 SARATOGA AVEGLEN COVESOLD6/7/2007$1,699,000$1,649,000$1,624,50096%$0575114 SARATOGA AVEGLEN COVEThere are no active listings or homes under contract in Glen Cove.Information Source: MRIS - Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.For more information about real estate sales in Bethesda, MD 20816 please email me at josette.skilling@longandfoster.com or visit my website at Bethesda Real EstateAll data courtesy of:Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.4733 Bethesda AvenueBethesda, MD 208143...
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