Ask Mary

Thank You Carra Riley & Do You BlogTalkRadio? What fun! Yesterday, I had a wonderful opportunity to chat with Carra Riley on her BlogTalkRadio. She's at www.BlogTalkRadio.com/carra-riley. We chatted about the Atlanta and Sandy Springs GA Real Estate Market residential sales, leasing and property management that we handle in the Buckhead area.

Carra Riley and her Cosmic Cow Pie Group have been so incredibly welcoming as I have learned to navigate the Activerain environment. It is so nice to check out AR each day and know that one has friends all over the world you can go to for advice, support or just a laugh.

BlogTalkRadio was an awesome experience! I had a couple folks ask me upon seeing the blog post or Facebook info a few days ago, what is BlogTalkRadio? The best way I can describe it is that BlogTalkRadio is an audio blog of information posted on-line about whatever the owner of the Audio Blog wants to post. Carra's been involved in Real Estate for over 30 years. Now her focus is on helping others navigate through life while avoiding those Cosmic Cow Pies!

In case you want to hear my first (of many) BlogTalkRadio:

Have you tried anything new today?

 

Michelle Francis

Tim Francis Realty, Atlanta & Sandy Springs GA

(404) 219-9760

Michelle@TimFrancisRealty.com

 

Today was tour day in my office. A group of us braved the 25 degree temps and made the rounds. It just so happened that one of the homes was in the neighborhood of a new listing I'm soon taking, so I was happy to see it on the tour sheet.

During the car ride, we were discussing the value of touring our inventory. At times it seems tedious, especially when the northern Illinois weather isn't cooperating! We came to the conclusion that viewing the inventory is worth the couple hours a week we spend on it. Even if the homes are in "cookie cutter" neighborhoods, we have more credibility when we can say to our buyers "yes, I saw that home last week and it has a gorgeous finished basement!" When I was a brand new agent it was an invaluable tool to learn the market...not to mention the learning that went on in the car listening to veteran agents talk. I'm no longer a newbie, but I still find value in this.

What say you? Do you attend the brokers' tour? If not, why?

Okay, So I Just HAD to Have One--A Personalized, BRANDED Facebook Page!

I always try to FAN my friends' business pages on Facebook--peer support is so important in our market and those who 'fan' me always put a smile on my face so, I like to pay it back!

So, last week, I was zipping through my emails and received a friend (fan) request from a fellow ActiveRain member, Dez Daniels, with whom I had not connected on her business page.  So, I set out to 'fan' her!  Here's what I saw:

Absolutely gorgeous and interactive at that!  I then found George Tallabas' new site and just had to write them to find out the HOW TO of personalizing MY own Facebook business page!  Dez quickly referred me to our own Mary McKnight of Sacrilicious Marketing.  When I got a moment to phone Mary, I found out that she has SO much to offer those in business in the way of branding and SEO and she is incredibly affordable!  

Mary specializes in branding and focusing on generating traffic to your site--your optimized Facebook landing page can also include an IDX interactive feed for a small additional charge!  The possibilities are endless and I encourage you to check out her website to see what she can do for you too--she's really QUITE talented!  Mary knows our industry and knows what you need to do to generate that SEO and improve your social networking skills.  Read her blogs about that too--her degree in sociology from Harvard has definitely been put to use in the new 'social media' rhelm--and we can all benefit from her knowledge.

But, back to the point of my post--if you want a mac-daddy Facebook landing page that is sure to WOW your friends and your consumers, then call or email Mary and put her to work for YOU!  She is incredibly talented, quite reasonably priced, wonderful to work with and has an unbelievable turn-around time!  You'll be glad you did!  

Now, go check out my new Facebook page -- OH, and while you're there admiring Mary's work, FAN me if you haven't already!

And here are a few of the other agents' sites that I've seen that Mary glamorized also!

Kevin Tomlinson, Miami Beach  
Rob Muller, Atlanta
George Tallabas, Idaho  
Nicki Conway,  Sarasota  
Desiree Daniels, Robbinsville, NJ  

If you like what you see and just HAVE to HAVE one too--contact Mary McKnight (Sacrilicious Marketing):
Email:  REBlogGirl@gmail. com   or   Phone: 321-442-3872

Thank you, Mary!  I just LOVE my new Facebook  business page!

   

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

 

HUD incentives for Owner Occupants to come to an end as of 02-12-10.

  Here is an excerpt from an eFlyer I received. It says in part:

 

HUD Owner Occupant Incentives Expire 2/12/2010

Issue Date: 1/29/2010

Attention Selling Brokers and Agents: The following HUD Owner Occupant sales incentives will expire as of February 12, 2010:

1. FHA $100 Down Sales Incentive

2. $2,500 Owner Occupant Sales Incentive (For properties with a purchase price of $25,000 or greater)

3. $500 Broker Bonus for Owner Occupant Sales (For properties with a purchase price of $25,000 or greater)

The incentives will be eligible on all owner occupant sales with a bid acceptance date on or before 2/12/2010.  All owner occupant bids accepted after 2/12/2010 will not be eligible for the any of the incentives above.

 

For anyone thinking on purchasing one of these fine properties you have approximately 11 days. See your realtor TODAY. Tomorrow may be too late.

 

 

Robert L. Brown

Bellabay Realty

616 366 7030

www.mrbrownsellsgr.com

 

In a recent Pre-Market Consultation, I recommended to a home seller that they begin the process of moving and packing now. They were moving for a job transfer and were hesitant about having to do this since their employer would pay for the movers to pack later. It didn't initially make sense to them why they should go to the hassle of packing when they were going to get that service for free.

I'll tell you why . . . because it will mean dollars in their pocket!

Would you be willing to start moving out of your home a little early if someone was going to pay you to do it?

Well, that is exactly what a buyer will do! They will pay you to pack up your stuff.

In HomeGain's latest survey (2009), they published the results of the top 12 low-cost DIY home improvements for home owners to invest in prior to going on the market. And guess what the number one Return on Investment is?

Cleaning and De-cluttering!

They estimated the effort at a cost of $200, with a $1500-$2000 price increase!

As a Home Stager, I often recommend that home owners remove extra furnishings and packed boxes from their home (after they've cleaned and de-cluttered). If they can borrow some space in a friend or relative's basement or garage, it will greatly improve the "show-ability" of their home.

That is a tricky enough sell to a home seller, but they balk even more if it means having to fork out money to rent storage space! 

It still pays to make this investment, though. In Calgary, it is possible to rent a storage unit for about $200 per month, or find a private garage for rent for even less. Weigh that against the cost of reaping those couple of extra thousand dollars on the home sale, or having the house sit on the market longer, and tell me that it's not worth it!

Organizing expert, Monica Ricci, says that buyers are looking for homes that will help create simplicity in our hectic lifestyles. The more organized a home is, the more attractive it is to buyers. Order is serenity. Overstuffed closets, drawers, cupboards, basements and garages all scream out to buyers that there is not enough storage space and adds to a chaotic feeling about the home.

There's no doubt about it . . . selling your home and moving are A LOT of work! But you've got to deal with your stuff sooner or later. The good news is that the sooner you do . . . the more it pays off!

So what is leaving your clutter costing you??

 

Deena Cottingham

GreenApple Staging & Images
Serving Calgary and Okotoks, Alberta

©GreenApple Staging & Images, 2010
All information is copyrighted and may not be used, borrowed or copied without written permission.

I thought I was the only one with absolutely no idea how blog entries are nominated for Featured status?  Once I realized I was not alone, I researched it to share with you.

Every morning, I get my ActiveRain e-mail with the list of Featured Blog Entries.  As a matter of fact, this morning's e-mail had a great article from Jon Sigler about another curious topic; Re-Blogging.

I always wondered how they picked particular blog entries.  Do you do the same thing I do, sit there hoping your blog or your friend's blog will be featured?  I understand how that disappointment can rise to the level of frustration, but I don't think it justifies complaining.  I'm the type of person who strives to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem, so I researched how to nominate Featured Blog entries.  I found the AR staff to be friendly and sincere in their efforts to get the best blog entries featured.  The simple truth of the matter is that this website has become so popular and has inspired so many to write that the Active Rain staff can no longer read every post - they need our help.

Go to a favorite post of yours...or mine!  At the bottom of the post is a Red Flag .  Seriously!  The Red Flag .  (I thought it was to report spam.  It is, but it is also to report the good posts!  Click on that flag and you will see that you are flagging the listing as good or bad.  Check Feature and enter the  requested information on the screen.  You have just nominated a quality post for featured status.

THere is even a section for the funny posts.  There are some great posts on here every day that are worthy of nomination.  As a community, when we read a good post; we absolutely must take a moment to nominate it.

Pick one: 

1. Does A Stripple Pole Define a "Niche"?
2. Top 10 Direct Mail Campaign Tips
3. Foreclosure Avalanche
4. Christmas Eve in Court
5. I Am Not An Animal!

Pick a title that intrigues you, if you enjoy the post, click on the red flag  at the bottom of the post and nominate it for Feature Listing.  In no time at all, we will have some of the best, most-informative, fun and inspirational postings on here.

The red flag  is tiny, but it's easy to find once you know where to look.  It's on the same row as the e-mail button .   See it now?

What happened to that little kid inside of you that used to press buttons to see what happened?  It's time to let that little rascal out!  Your computer is not going to explode, check out the great features the ActiveRain staff have built into this site.  Together, we can make this wonderful site even better!

I modeled this behavior for you, I read a great post that made an analogy of a push lawn mower and motivating yourself.  I enjoyed the post so much that I scrolled down to the red flag  at the bottom of the post and nominated it for a Featured blog entry.  The next day, it showed up as Featured.  37 other people commented on the log that it was a wonderfully inspirational entry.  That sure made me feel good!

Once you click on the red flag  at the bottom of the post, select Feature.  Copy and paste the URL for the nominated blog entry into the URL field.  That is the http address in the top of the window that hosts the blog.  Highlight it, then select Ctrl-C or right click on your mouse and select "Copy".  Go to the URL field and either hit Ctrl-V or right click on your mouse and select "Paste".  In the comments field, write why you think it is feature-worthy.  Then click on Flag Post.  It sounds like you are reporting spam, but you are reporting quality!  The screen that comes up LOOKS like I reported something bad because big RED letters say, The post has been flagged  It feels wrong, but it is right! 

Now you try it.  Please feel free to re-blog this post so we can get the word out to the entire community!

On your team!!

 Vic Steele, Broker, Valet Real Estate Services

 Where we deliver Silver Platter Service to our

Clients for Life and the people they care about!

Cosmic Cow Pie...Connecting the Dots - Book Review

Once upon a time an Arizona desert dweller was walking around wondering why Cosmic Cow Pies kept flying around her. Good grief no matter how hard she tired to get rid of them they kept showing up in her life. It was the oddest sight she'd ever seen.  What could this mean?  And where the heck were they coming from or going to?  Hmmmmm?  And Holy Moly what was that smell?

After much thought and consternation it came like a bolt of lightening - Cosmic Cow Pie Mystery - Carra Riley, call her now.  A big loud thundering bolt cracked as she said the name out loud.CARRA RILEY and the COSMIC COW PIE...CONNECTING THE DOTS!

It had been rumored around town that Carra Riley was a Cosmic Cow Pie Magician. Whatever the heck thatmeant was 'greek' to the confused AZ desert dweller. But the desert dweller knew she needed to take some action and get some help as she was sinking deeper and deeper into the Cosmic Cow Pie.  She was able to locate Carra Riley within a few minutes of searching for her on LinkedIn. It was an instant connection - like it was meant to be. The Cosmic Cow Pie Magician reached out to the AZ desert dweller and began to tell her the secrets of the Cosmic Cow Pie.

Wow - the Cosmic Cow Pie Magician made it so simple. All the desert dweller needed to do was follow 14 principled-centered problem solving methods and the Cosmic Cow Pies would eventually disappear with practice and determination. She asked the desert dweller a few questions:

• Do you want more balance in your life?
• Would you like to learn how to navigate successfully around obstacles?
• Are you wishing for more energy and personal power?
• Do you wonder when you'll ever 'Get It'?
• Does it matter to you what people think about you?

"Yes! Yes...the desert dweller cried out, I want to discover the answers to all these questions and so much more.  It's what I've been searching for all my life."

The Cosmic Cow Pie Magician graciously offered to send the desert dweller a copy of her book Cosmic Cow Pie...Connecting the Dots.  Within hours of receiving her very own autographed copy of the book, the desert dweller had read it from cover to cover, gobbling up every idea.  Within days of going over the principles the Cosmic Cow Pies had began to subside and fade. 

Within a month there wasn't a Cosmic Cow Pie in site the desert dweller couldn't identify and handle - and - keep her new found balance in life!

Carra Riley  - The Magician of the Cosmic Cow Pie!

P.S.  If you haven't 'gotten it' yet.....I highly recommend that everyone order a copy of this fantastic little book that will uplift your enthusiasm for life and everyone around you!  Carra has a unique style of writing that brings the principles to life through story telling. I guarantee it will be a quick and fun read!