On my website, I have been posting information regarding the Blairsville, Georgia real estate market.

I would like to have the ability to plug these numbers into a chart or graph format.

 Can anyone suggest a great program - preferrably free or inexpensive- that I can use to achieve this goal?

Thanks!

We just moved into our newly remodeled home. It is gorgeous! Unfortunately, we went way over budget. With all of the price decreases around here, we could really have come out ahead financially if we had waited about a year to make our purchase. Now I am seeing some fabulous deals!

Remember the old Clint Eastwood movie where he makes this comment about "the truth?"

Recently, I have been tempted to say this to some of the more stubborn sellers out there.

Do you want to sell their home? CHECK YES
Do you want to hear the comps? CHECK YES
Do you plan to believe the comps? CHECK NO

We received a good contract on our own home within 12 hours of listing it! Why? We priced it appropriately based upon the current market. We cleaned it up. We made sure that it had "eye appeal."

On the other hand, one of our listings is a home that, while similar to ours, is not in as good of shape as my home, not furnished, and really is not ready to sell. 

We only accepted this listing based upon the owners agreeing to make the necessary repairs to the home.  Now, they are backing out of the reparis and they are informing me that they "are not giving the house away."

The truth? Well...

Now that we are a part of a new brokerage, we need new business cards. With the new brokerage, we are no longer required to place our photos on the cards.We have lots of options here.

 What are your suggestions?

No photo, yes caricature, yes photo, use old photo, use baby photo....you get the drift.

 What are your thoughts on this decision?

 We look forward to your input.

As the holidays approach, what advertising and marketing ideas or you getting ready to implement? My former broker purchased nice leather pocket calendars that he gave to his past and present clients.

Do you have some marketing tips that have been successful in the past that you would like to share with us? Do you have ideas that you are thinking about trying out this year?

I really look forward to your input!  Or to quote Mike--comments welcome!

I probably should not be asking this question on a "Fri-bu-day nite" ....but here goes...

 How have you been using the P2 Vendor coupons in a way that promotes the success of your real estate business?

Scenario:

You are a real estate agent who owns a home that you would like to offer for short term rentals. Your brokerage does not handle rentals. Are you allowed to advertise your personal short term rental on your site?

 If not, why? If yes, then what special rules apply, if any?

Today's consumers are using the Internet to view Virtual Tours of college campuses, museums, hotels and real estate.

Over 75% of all buyers begin their home search on the Internet,  over 30% of all home purchases are made by buyers who live in a different city from the home they purchased. Most often, this home will serve as their vacation home.

These Internet savvy consumers are using the Internet to preview homes long before they actually view them in person. Lately, many of them are almost demanding a Virtual Tour of homes that pique their interest. Many of our real estate  Boards offer us the ability to make an unbranded Virtual Tour of our listings available for others to view and to e-mail to their clients. This VT could make the consumer decide whether our listing is sa "must see" or a "forget about it!"

Virtual Tours should be an integral part of our marketing strategy. We are fortunate that P2 offers a VT tool that makes it  easy to create a VT, but what are you doing to be sure that your VT is making a positive impact on its viewers?

Do you have any "secrets" that make your Virtual Tours stand out in the crowd? If so, please share them with us!

I just looked at the weather map, and Hurricane Dean is poised right outside of Jamaica.

After 27 years of hurricane dodging in Homestead, Florida, including a hair-raising and life-changing battle with Hurricane Andrew, I am well aware of the stress that these people are enduring. 

Now would be a great time for all RElibbers to  send a little prayer or positive energy their way. This looks like a very powerful storm, and I pray that each and every human being and animal there will find his or her way to safety.

The Internet is an incredibly wonderful real estate marketing tool.

In this "Age of Information," real estate buyers, sellers and investors spend lots of time "doing their homework" long before they are ready to buy or sell a property.

And as "Technololgy Savvy" realtors, we have embraced this technology as a vital part of our real estate marketing plan.  Once fiercely guarded MLS information is readily available at our websites, to site visitors who provide little or no  information about themselves. 

When site visitors provide us with their e-mail information, we utilize a system called  "Drip Mail" as an important tool to keep us on the minds of our potential clients and to establaish a relationship with these clients.

How much time have you spent on developing a strong Drip Mail system? What kinds of suggestions and secrets do you have for helping your fellow RElibbers enhance and strengthen the quality of their Drip Mail? How have you personalized your drip mails? How often do you send them out? Do you send them to everyone who registers?

I look forward to your ideas and suggestions.

Do you advertise/market your real estate services when you are on vacation? If so, what do you do?

For the past 5 days, I have been visiting my relatives in south Florida. I am going home tomorrow, but I am feeling a little foolish because I have done no advertising/marketing while here.

Like many of you, most of the buyers that I work with are seeking vacation homes or retirement homes.

We help buyers use the power of the Internet, online MLS, and e-mail to start their search for Northeast Georgia mountain land or homes before they visit the area. We preview homes and land for them, and provide them this additional information via e-mail.

Since these buyers come from all over the United States, I know I must have missed a great opportunity to promote my website and real estate services.

I am looking for some of your great ideas that I can implement before I leave!

For a week, we have been negotiating a deal on behalf of young buyers who are trying to purchase a foreclosure. The home fits their needs, although it will require central heat and air and other improvements and repairs.

We finally came to an agreement that was acceptable to our buyers. That is when we discovered that the bank is will be charging a $100.00 per diem fee for everyday that the closing exceeds August 13th.

The listing agent assures us that in her 20 years of handling foreclosures, she has only had one instance when the bank actually enforced the per diem charge. She said that in the event that the buyers werfe unable to close, we would simply apply for an extension that the bank would surely grant.

These kids really want this house and it would be perfect for their needs. BUT...I just don't want any nasty surprises for them as they purchase their first home.

Bill just asked about brokerage/agent commission splits.

I would like to know about broker/agent relationships. How are your brokerages set up? I am not talking about money, I am referring to mentorship and advice.

I am trying to get a feel for the role of a broker in supporting his/her new agents.

We are in the process of selling our first home that is a foreclosure listed with a different brokerage in our town.

Is it standard procedure for the listing office to hold in escrow the Earnest Money as opposed to the selling office?

We just helped a delightful couple purchase their first home and at a great price. What a pleasure! I don't think that we will ever forget this transaction.

Please share some of your most memorable transactions.