Vancouver Wa Real Estate - Elite Realty NW

Looking For Help And Guidance From My Active Rain Friends

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:07:34 -0600

Most of you may not know this but our 15 year old son, Nick, was diagnosed at an early age as being high functioning autistic. My wife, Janice, has recently set out on a mission to create a charity here in Vancouver Washington in Nick's name for Nick and other children who suffer from this terrible condition.

One of the many challenges that children like Nick suffer with is that they find it very difficult to socialize with other kids. Because of this, they are often paralyzed with fear when being put into social situations with people who they don't know. Janice's idea is to have a local place where autistic children can come to socialize, play, and to just be themselves. This recreational center, of sorts, would be a free and safe place for them to come and just hang out for a while. They will be free to just be themselves. They would gain valuable experience in life skills that you and I take for granted.

Janice is out of the office right now and I just left this note for her on her computer. The following 7 tips are loosely taken from a keynote speech by Kevin Carroll that we were able to attend a few weeks back at the Keller Williams Family Reunion.

Nick's Pad - A Plan

1.Commit to it- Your desire must come from deep within.

2.Seek out encouragers- Sustaining your life's work cannot be done alone. You must build relationships with people who have genuine interest in you and appreciate you commitment.

3. Workout your creative muscle - Pursuing your life's work requires constant creativity because the path will not always be obvious.

4. Prepare to shine - Each day is an opportunity to live out your life's work. Take advantage of it.

5. Speak up! - Never accept boundaries imposed on you by others. Don't let anyone hold you back.

6. Expect the unexpected - Some days there will be setbacks. Other days will present windfalls and opportunities that will further your cause. Watch for them and take advantage of them.

7.Maximize the day - Each day contains 86,400 seconds. That is 86,400 opportunities to make a difference. Don't waste any of them!

So why am I posting this? I am hoping to call on my Active Rain friends, associates, and mentors for help and guidance. Although we both volunteer for many charity foundations and events, we have no experience organizing and launching such an endeavor.

What kind of attorney will she need to set this up in order to operate within the law and to be a completely legit charity? Do you know anyone who may be willing to take on this project pro bono or really really cheap?

Is anyone aware of any advocacy groups for autistic children who may have grant money or support for a project like this?

Any tips, guidance, or advice is greatly appreciated. Of course once we are set up and able to accept them, donations (LARGE and small)will be greatly appreciated.

I know that times are tough for everyone in the real estate industry right now and I want you to know that help and guidance is currently more valuable to us than money.

Thank you in advance and wish us luck!

When you choose us to handle your Vancouver Washington real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work with professionals who will listen to your needs and who will work together with you to achieve your objective. We are very familiar with all types a real estate in Clark Countyand we specialize in Vancouver, Ridgefield and Battle Ground. We are also very experienced with new home and custom home construction having assisted several local builders in selling new neighborhoods in the Vancouver Washington area. Additionally, we have helped numerous families build their own dream homes. We are dedicated to helping you make intelligent, informed decisions and to providing you with exceptional service.

Lil' Buddy's Blog: Zillow "Zestimates" - Accurate? Often, Even Homeowners Themselves Predict More Accurately!

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:21:34 -0600

My friend Dean Moss and his little white dog from Chicago just posted this excellent piece regarding the accuracy of Zillow. As you will read, the results are pretty poor. The same holds true for Zestimates here in the Vancouver Washington Real Estate market.

Via Dean Moss - Dean's Team Chicago IL Real Estate Team (Dean's Team - Keller Williams Lincoln Square Chicago IL):

THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!

Good Afternoon, you dogs!

Well, before you know it, those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer will be back, and all of this Melting Chicago Snow will be gone. Can't be soon enough for me - I have a concrete sidewalk to spread across, and green grass to smell!

Zillow!

If you're a Chicago Homeowner, or have ever considered buying or selling a home in Chicago, you know this well-publicized consumer website. Since its debut here, during the boom market of 2006, many of our Team clients first checked the site before calling us for our opinion of value.

"We know our home value," some said. "We "Zillowed' it!"

Now, according to a study by an Academic Think Tank in Texas, as reported in the Chicago Tribune by Mary Ellen Podmolik, many of the Zillow Estimates for the sample it studied - over 2,000 homes in the Dallas TX Suburb of Arlington during 2006 - had their values grossly overstated.

The research found that 40% of the home values provided by the Zillow Proprietary Formulas - they call them "Zestimates" - were actually overstated in value by 10% or more. Less than one percent of the test sample had their home value under estimated. The entire study was published in last winter's edition of The Appraisal Journal, an industry trade magazine of The Appraisal Institute.

We might have suggested the same here in Chicago, as some of the "Zestimates" provided by our clients over the last few years have been very high, especially as many sectors of the Chicago Real Estate Market went into steep declines beginning late in 2006.

Professor Ron Rutherford, one of the authors of the study, selected Arlington TXbecause of its stable real estate market at the time, and because Zillow gave its estimates in that market "Four Stars" for reliability.

By contrast, the Internet Valuation Site gives Chicago a lower, "Good" Rating. Zillow says 70% of its home price estimates are within 20% of the likely or actual sales price, with a Median Error of 11.5%. This Median Error means half of all the homes the Internet Site values in the Chicago area are off by 11.5% or less - the rest are off by greater than 11.5%.

Homeowners themselves, by comparison, inflate their homes value by only 5-8%, according to the TX Research. Rutherford attributes this to more in-depth, personal knowledge of the features of the home, of course. But, although generally optimistic, most homeowners have friends or family members who have experienced today's market challenges first hand locally, and uses their input to factor their own estimates.

As you might imagine, Zillow disputes the validity research findings.

But these days, a Real Estate Practitioner has to use more than a computer-generated model to estimate home value - especially in a still-shifting Chicago Real Estate Market. Specific location factors have to be taken into consideration, as well as traffic and noise patterns, in addition to how the interior and exterior of the house actually shows as compared to the competition, and its level of upgrades.

Geez - even a Lil' White Dog with an IL Real Estate Broker's License understands that!

However, you dogs, in this day and Internet Age, there will always be room for an online opinion. It's just important not to consider it as the ONLY opinion a homeowner uses to establish value.

My two bones of an opinion, anyway!

Enjoy the weekend - make sure your humans take you on regular walks!

Please see my post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,

BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

PhoTabulous Friday Photos - Fired Up!

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:11:41 -0600

Free Samples - Observations That Might Increase Your Business!

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:47:14 -0600

Free Samples - Observations That Might Increase Your Business!

About a year ago, I wrote a post about Building Your Real Estate Business With Free Samples! It is a topic that fascinates me because it is cheap, easy, and effective.( Just like me! lol) Since writing that post, I have been on the look out for more examples of how people are using a free sample marketing plan to build their business. Of course I am not talking about the obvious. Laundry soaps and dishwashing detergents won't be on my list. I like things that are a little more obscure.

Meet Lilly. She is a massage therapist in a small shop on Chartre street in New Orleans. She uses a very simple strategy to build her massage business. FREE SAMPLES!

As the tourists walk past her shop in the French Quarter, she offers a free one minute foot massage. "No strings attached." Who could turn that down after a long day of walking the hot and dirty cobblestone Rues of New Orleans?

Once she has you in her grip (literally!) she has one minute to pitch and close a sale. You will learn 3 things right away: 1 - She has hands like vices. 2 - She barely speaks English. 3 - She can't really tell time!

During the first minute of your one minute foot massage, she quietly goes to work on your tired feet. She is obviously an expert and after washing your feet and gooping them up with some ancient Chinese foot balm, she uses foot rubbing techniques that have been carefully handed down through 10's of generations of her ancestors.

During the second minute of your one minute foot massage she begins the pitch. "You like foot massage? Yes?" Notice how she asks for the "Yes" answer right from the get go. Then she prompts you again with, "That feels good? Yes?" By the end of the second minute you are just laying back in the chair drooling, mumbling "Yes yes yes yes..."

During the third minute of your one minute foot massage she goes for the close. She keeps on rubbing and asks a simple closing question, "You want 10 minutes more? Very cheap. Yes?"

"How much?" I barely manage to whisper as I am under the influence and feeling the effects of some super powerful Chinese foot rubbing magic!

"Ten dollars."

About $35 later, I am stumbling out the door of her shop like a liquored up teenager on Bourbon Street and pondering her sales technique. How can I use this type of strategy for my business? Here are some of the keys to her success.

She was generous with the free sample. When she asked if I would like 10 minutes more, one of my first thoughts was, "If the free 1 minute massage lasts 3 minutes how long does the paid 10 minute massage last?" Answer 15 minutes!

Next, she is bold! She asks for the business. I didn't say yes to her on her first attempt to close. She asked 3 times before I agreed to go longer. How many more deals would you get if you directly asked for the business and didn't accept the first "No" for an answer? Think about it.

She knows her scripts. Always asking for the "Yes" answer.

She finished with another offer. When she finished my foot massage, she plainly said, "Now its time for your free one minute back rub!"

Dear Mr. Seller, Please don't lump me in with the other...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:35:01 -0600

Dear Mr. Seller, Please don't lump me in with the other...

I was grocery shopping this past weekend when I stumbled across a home seller who I had met over a year ago. At the time, we were right in the middle of a huge price drop and prices were spiraling down around us.

I presented the comps and explained that the key to selling in that type of the market was to price the home ahead of the market and to sell it quickly. I demonstrated our pricing strategy and showed him how we could have him into a new home with 45 days.

He kept pushing back on the price. I refused to take the overpriced listing and a few days later one of my competitors gladly planted his sign in the yard. They listed the home at $400,000, only $45,000 over its market value.

"Hey there!" I pleasantly greeted him. "How have you been? Did you sell your house and move to the lake yet?"

"No!" He grumbled. "You agents are all the same! You make promises that you don't keep. You claim that you can sell things and then you only put in the least amount of effort."

"Be careful," I retorted, "and remember that you didn't hire me to sell your home because you thought that my price was too low."

"Well, you wouldn't have done anything different! I am on my 3rd agent and you are all the same. You just put it into your computer and let it sit. Aren't there any real estate agents who work for a living?!"

Still smiling and ignoring his last comment, I asked, "What do you have it priced at now?"

"We agreed to list it at $355,000."

I didn't have the heart to tell him that he is now only overpriced by about $30,000. Lucky for him that the market has leveled off a bit!

So:

Dear Mr. Seller,

Please don't lump me in with the other agents who have allowed you to bully them into over pricing your home. If you will remember, I am the only one who told you the truth about pricing your home and I am the one agent who refused to guide you down a path to failure. You chose an agent who either didn't have the experience to price your home correctly or didn't have the courage to walk away from your listing. Either way, you chose weak real estate agents who couldn't get the job done.

I am neither inexperienced or weak. Please don't put me into the same bucket with the others.

Sincerely,

Mark Hall

Photo by zappowbang

Eco-Roofs - Green Building in Vancouver Wa.

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:35:16 -0600

Eco-Roofs - Green Building in Vancouver Wa.

I like everything about green building. I like the high efficiency furnaces and water heaters. I like building with sustainable and local materials. I like the fact that you can paint a home without poisoning the environment. I like building a home that is sealed in such a way that it can be heated and cooled with a minimum of energy. I like high tech gadgets that generate energy.

And I like eco-roofs!

There is nothing new or advanced about eco-roofs. They have been around for hundreds of years. They are pretty simple yet they are amazingly effective. Some are as simple as soil and sod laid across the top of a roof and watered by the natural rain fall. More high tech roofs look more like city parks that have been transplanted to the tops of sky scrapers.

What do they do?

The 3 primary reason for a green roof is storm water runoff management, combating urban heat island effect, and the added insulation value.

Storm Water Runoff Management - In areas with combined sewer-stormwater systems, heavy storms can overload the wastewater system and cause it to flood, dumping raw sewage into the local waterways. Green roofs decrease the total amount of runoff and slow the rate of runoff from the roof. It has been found that they can retain up to 75% of rainwater, gradually releasing it back into the atmosphere via condensation and transpiration, while retaining pollutants in their soil. This is a huge benefit in big cities that mostly covered with concrete and asphalt.

Combating urban heat island effect - Traditional building materials soak up the sun's radiation and re-emit it as heat, making cities at least 4 degrees Celsius (7 °F) hotter than surrounding areas. On Chicago's City Hall, by contrast, which features an eco roof, roof temperatures on a hot day are typically 14-44 degrees Celsius (25-80 °F) cooler than they are on traditionally roofed buildings nearby.

Insulative properties - Green roofs have also been found to dramatically improve a roof's insulation value. A study conducted by Environment Canada found a 26% reduction in summer cooling needs and a 26% reduction in winter heat losses when a green roof is used.

photo by 416style

Remember The Real Estate Market In 2010? What a GREAT year!

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:24:02 -0600

Remember The Real Estate Market In 2010? What a GREAT year!

As a boy growing up in Southern California, I remember my parents and their friends talking about major events in their lives. Many of them were baseball games that went into extra innings or big fish they caught. They also talked about business and investments.

One thing that sticks out in my mind is the fact that most of my parents' wealthy friends made their money in real estate related endeavors.

"Remember the real estate market in 1959? I bought that apartment building. What a bargain! I have made a mint on those apartments! Imagine if we had those prices now."

"What about when I bought that big house in 1964? That was a steal! If I had more money, I would have bought 5 of them!"

They would laugh and tell stories about the deals where they made a bunch of money. The early 60's were a great time for real estate owners and investors in California. They told stories of their investing prowess but the reality is that they couldn't miss during those years.

Fast forward to the year 2020. What will the new generation armchair historians being saying about 2010? I predict that it will go something like this:

"Remember 2010? What a great year for real estate! The interest rates were low. The prices were low. There was a huge inventory of homes out there! How could you miss?"

So, sit back, close your eyes, and imagine that the year is 2020. What will you be saying about 2010?

Finding The Best Condos For Sale in Vancouver Wa. - Vancouver Washington Real Estate

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:28:16 -0600

Finding The Best Condos For Sale in Vancouver Wa.

Whether you are a first time buyer, moving to a bigger home, or downsizing, it is an awesome market to be buying a home. Condominiums in Vancouver are an exceptional bargain right now. The trick is Finding The Best Condos For Sale in Vancouver Wa. and finding them at the best prices.

There are a few projects out there that are offering features that you wouldn't expect to find in a condo that is in the $100,000 range. Slab granite counter tops, wood burning fireplaces, a community swimming pool, and vaulted ceilings are all finding their way into very affordable Condos For Sale in Vancouver Wa.

That makes it easy for you to Find The Best Condos For Sale in Vancouver Wa. How? It is simple. You now know that the Evergreen Ridge Condos offer Slab granite counter tops, wood burning fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, crown molding, and frieze carpets at prices that are barely above $100,000. Add that to the fact that the seller is willing to pay up to $4500 of your closing costs. Compare them to everything out there in the $100,000 range and I think that the choice will be an easy one. Better yet, let us help you find The Best Condos For Sale in Vancouver Wa. We have more condos under contract than anyone in Vancouver and we can show you the best units available.

3 Tips To Selling Your Home Quickly - No Voodoo Required!

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:39:07 -0600

3 Tips To Selling Your Home Quickly - No Voodoo Required!

Today I received an interesting email from a local agent with the subject line:

"Help, what do I do now?"

It went on to say, "I have this property and it's getting very little interest. What are your thoughts as to why people aren't showing this, it's priced at $77 per square foot?"

I am very familiar with the home in question and several things immediately jumped out at me. Firstly, the home is located on a very busy intersection in Downtown Vancouver. Nextly, there is no garage. Lastly, there is an unfinished basement that the agent calculated into the price per sq. foot. That error added an extra 925 sq. feet to the home and made the difference between $77 per sq. foot and more than $126 per sq. foot!

That is what prompted me to write 3 Tips To Selling Your Home Quickly - No Voodoo Required!

1. Choose the right agent! As a seller, choosing the right agent is critical in this market. Check credentials. How many homes have they sold in your neighborhood. What is their average sale price as a percentage to the list price? How many homes do they sell a year? Ask the tough questions and listen for the right answers.

2. Listen to your agent! Once you have found the right agent, listen to them. You have just hired a professional to help you sell there home, now you need to let them do their job. Pay extra attention while they are discussing the topic of pricing.

3. Price it right! Pricing you home correctly is one of the most important decisions that you will make when selling your home. Price it too high and the market will reject it. Start high with the intention of "feeling out" the market can turn into the biggest mistake of your life as you chase the market down.

See? it is really pretty simple and there is no gris gris required!

Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:01:00 -0600

Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington

It is no secret that right now is an awesome time to be buying a new home. The inventory is high. Interest rates are low. The federal government is offering to pay up to $8000 to help you buy your new home. Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington are an especially good deal right now.

Condominiums are a great deal for several reasons. They tend to be less expensive than single family residences. They are less expensive to insure. Most of the outside maintenance is handled by the home owners association. Wouldn't it be nice to never have to worry about exterior painting or a new roof? To never have to mow the lawn? The Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington can give you that lifestyle and more!

Did you know that Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington are currently priced in the $100,000 range? At that price, they are easy to get financed with payments that are affordable. Some of the Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington are loaded with all of the bells and whistles that you would expect in a stand alone home. The nicer projects include slab granite counter tops, frieze carpet, crown molding, fireplaces, and designer paint.

Some of the Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington have monthly payments that aren't much more than you are currently paying for rent. Maybe even less! If you are considering buying a new home then you should definitely consider one of the Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington.

For example, the Evergreen Ridge Condos in Vancouver Washington feature slab granite in the kitchen, frieze carpet, wood burning fireplaces, and they are offered at less than $120,000 for a 1100 sq. ft. 3 bedroom / 2 bath unit. The seller is willing to pay $4500 towards closing costs to make the deal even better for the buyer.

If you are looking for a Condo For Sale in Vancouver Washington, then the Evergreen Ridge Condominiums are some of the best Condos For Sale in Vancouver Washington. Don't miss out!

The Girl Who Didn't Return Her Calls - Vancouver Washington Real Estate

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:47:44 -0600

The Girl Who Didn't Return Her Calls - Vancouver Washington Real Estate

This story is a tragedy. It is the story of a girl who, although she was completely connected with all of the latest technology, never returned her calls. It is a story of a girl who didn't get to buy the home of her dreams.

This story goes something like this:

I have a client who was really in a bind. She contacted me and let me know that she needed to buy a home and be fully moved into it within 6 weeks. I let her know that we could do it but we would have to develop a plan, act quickly and be ready to write an offer when we found the right home. She agreed and we went to work.

We struck pay dirt on the first day of our search. I took her to see a home that an investor had completely remodeled and listed right within her price range. She absolutely loved it! I explained to her that she needed to act quickly if she wanted to buy it. She agreed. We agreed to meet the next morning (Saturday) to sign the offer and that I would present the offer that afternoon. It was a plan.

An hour before we were scheduled to meet, I received a text message from her asking to postpone our meeting. That was the last I heard from her for the entire weekend. I called her several times and sent several text messages throughout the weekend. No reply. On Monday morning she finally called me back to schedule an appointment for that afternoon. We set up the appointment for that day after work and I went to work on the offer.

Me: Hi this is Mark Hall with Keller Williams, I am getting ready to write an offer on your listing at 123 1st Street.

Listing agent: Wow. That listing has been sitting for three months without any action but all of a sudden everyone wants it!

Me: Uh... What do you mean?

Listing agent: Well, We got an offer yesterday, which we countered. And then we go two more offers today! Isn't that crazy?

You don't have to be a brain surgeon to realize that my client didn't get the home that she wanted. Had she written the offer when we planned, she would have easily got the home that she loved. Had she answered her phone at any point during the weekend, I may have been able to convince her that she needed to get it together and write an offer.

Guess what? We have seen a few dozen homes since then and she can't find anything she likes. But now she returns her calls. So I guess we have that going for us.

Aoife Just Bought Her First Home - Video Testimonial

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:58:21 -0600

Aoife just bought her first new home in Vancouver Washington and talks about her experience using Mark & Janice Hall. We found a great deal for her that was about $40,000 less than the current market value. . She closed in time to claim her $8000 first time home buyers credit.

Who do you know who is looking to buy a new home? We can help!

If you enjoyed this post, you can find more like it in the following links:

Emily Just Bought Her First Home - Video Testimonial

Erin Talks About Buying Her First Home - Video Testimonial

Happy First Time Home Buyers - Jon and Shawna - Video Testimonial

Video Testimonial - Ryan - First Time Home Buyer

What Kind Of Market Is It Anyway? Buyer's? Seller's? Vancouver Wa Real Estate

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:05:04 -0600

What Kind Of Market Is It Anyway? Buyer's? Seller's?

In the past few weeks, I have noticed an interesting trend starting to develop. Multiple offers! I have some buyers who are trying to buy homes in the $200k and lower range and we have been encountering some serious competition. Aren't we in a buyer's market?

The simple answer is "Yes and No." Not so simple, is it?

Certain price ranges are definitely in a buyer's market while others are transitioning to a more even market. The buyers who are able to see this trend will do very well for themselves. The ones who don't? Well, they will be frustrated while their first homes of choice are stolen out from under them.

In Vancouver Washington, the $200,000 and less market is transitioning to a seller's market. The $8000 first time home buyer's tax credit is fueling this market and prices are rising. The higher dollar markets are not being affected by the tax credit and are still foundering.

What does that mean? First time home buyers need to get aggressive to get into the homes that they want. Don't be afraid of over paying (within reason) because these properties have probably bottomed for the time being and will stabilize for the next year or so. The bottom of the market will stay consistent but the quality of homes in that range will go down.

Are you shopping in a higher price range? There is still a huge inventory of the higher priced homes and the sellers still need to move them. Offers that wouldn't have been considered two years ago are now being gladly accepted.

Either way, it is a great time to be a buyer! The right agent can get you on the right deal and negotiate it to the end. Here are two testimonials from clients who we helped to buy homes are HUGE discounts:

We helped Aoife buy her home at $40,000 below market value!

Emily saved about $20,000!

We can do the same for you. Give is a call.

2010 Clark County Parade of Homes - The New Vision, Affordable Green

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:23:21 -0600

2010 Clark County Parade of Homes - The New Vision

On February 3, the 2010 Clark County Parade of Homes committee announced their vision for this year's Clark County Parade of Homes. With the struggling economy there aren't many builders who are able to step up and build a home just for the sake of the Parade. Lenders aren't in a position to finance either the lot or the construction and the Clark County Building Industry Association has been forced to be creative.

By creative, I mean that the 2010 Clark County Parade of Homes will not be like the traditional Parade of Homes that you may have attended in the past. This year's parade will have a hub of homes in one subdivision and there will be other homes on exhibit throughout Clark County. The Clark County BIA experimented with this type of format at the 2009 Parade of Homes with great success.

Some interesting points to note about the 2010 Clark County Parade of Homes are:

The 2010 Clark County Parade of Homes is scheduled to run from July 9 to July 25, 2010

The theme for this year's parade are homes that are "Hip, Cool, Green, Smart, and Affordable."

There will be 3 shows running concurrently; The 2010 Clark County Parade of Homes, The Remodeled Home Tour, and the Open House Tour.

The hub for the parade will be Pioneer Canyon in Ridgefield, Wa. There will be 4 to 5 homes there with numerous other homes at offsite locations throughout Clark County. The offsite homes will range from large luxury homes to an extreme green home that boasts passive solar design, solar panels and a wind generator for power needs, and high tech SIP construction.

All of the homes are slated to have energy efficient designs and features.

The offsite map will list the homes by category to help visitors find exactly what they are looking for. Categories will include topics such as green built, high tech kitchen, interior design, etc.

Although the format is changing a bit, the quality of homes that our builders are producing is second to none. Like all of the Clark County Parades in the past, this one will surely be impressive and well worth the price of admission!

As always, as I find out more information, I will share it here. Hoping to be able to sneak some of my infamous "Bootleg Photos" again this year. Stay tuned!

Blogging, Blondes, and BBQ - The Life Of A Realtor®

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:51:03 -0600

Blogging, Blondes, and BBQ - The Life Of A Realtor®

So, here I am. An agent who is living the life. I got into the business because I love helping people, I love seeing cool houses, and I love getting in and negotiating killer deals. Imagine my surprise when I found out about the fringe benefits!

Blogging, Blondes, and BBQ

Blogging - What more is there to say? I love it. I like to share my opinion and it is even better when people actually log on the read about it. Writing is a secret passion of mine and, since I am not a famous author (yet!), I can get it out of my system by blogging a few times a week. Cool gig! Right?

Blondes - OK, I put this in for the shock factor, but have you seen my wife? (and partner, and fellow Realtor® who is the brains of the operation?) I doubt that I would be in this business if it weren't for her. She keeps me on track and drives our business to succeed. If her picture wasn't on our business card, I doubt if anyone would call!

BBQ - Since I shared my other two passions with you, I might as well tell you about a third. BBQ, Barbe-q, BBQue, or Barbeque, No matter how you spell it, it still means good eatin'! The key to good "Q", is constant attention, high quality pork ribs, grandpa's secret recipe (most any grandpa will do), patience, and a good grill. Generous amounts of bourbon always helps too. I am not sure if it makes me a better agent, but I think it makes me a better person.