SEO is a wonderful thing! A properly optimized web presence can attract “clicks” from near and far. But what happens once a potential customer finds us? Do we deliver on our promise of “more information” or “additional details? When installing hyperlinks into web-pages, blogs, or paid ads it is...

01/23/2011

“For what it’s worth:” Sometimes you have to go with your gut instinct!

17 Comments

A group of friends and I meet ‘every other Friday” at a local watering hole with instruments in hand and microphones at the ready. Informally known as “The Geezers,” we play typical bar fare with an occasional classic rock tune thrown into the mix. It’s a good way to keep our musical skills hone...

01/22/2011

This job is nothing like it used to be….

13 Comments

Some colleagues and I that have been in the business a long time have talked a lot about the changes in real estate as a profession. The job is nothing like the one I learned in 1984. Every aspect of the real estate process has changes, from agency to inspection to financing to marketing. Nothi...

01/21/2011

The price of gasoline goes affects our attitude about the economy more than it should!

25 Comments

For some inexplicable reason the price of gasoline has always been an attitude indicator for the American consumer. Never mind that a thirty or forty cents a gallon increase is peanuts compared to increased tax burdens, the annual cost of medical care, or the price of a college education. But th...

01/20/2011

A plea to all of my REO sellers: Please clear up all title issues BEFORE you put the property on the market!

13 Comments

It has gotten to the point where it happens more often than not. A closing is delayed because there is an issue with the title to the property. Listing REO property is a lot of work. It requires weekly inspections, property management, and cash outlays. In most cases the listing agent is paying ...

01/19/2011

Sometimes it’s not the big things in life that affect us the most …often it’s the “tweaks!”

21 Comments

I just got my favorite computer up and running again after a catastrophic hard drive crash. It wasn’t that big of a deal, it took five minutes to install a new drive. Restoring the system took a few hours, and installing the backups was time consuming. And I elected to start “clean” with many of...

01/18/2011

We are ready and willing to work for those that seek our assistance….

19 Comments

These are trying times, and real estate as a profession is constantly under assault both from the market itself and from the consuming public. As information constantly becomes more readily available, the perception of the role of the real estate broker is often diminished. This often foregone ...

01/17/2011

The big thaw … at last!

7 Comments

To say that it has been cold in the Atlanta Metro area for the last week in an understatement. The snow and ice that accumulated last Sunday night persisted all week as air temperatures barely reached the freezing mark. Finally today it warmed up enough to clear up most of the remaining ice on t...

01/15/2011

Getting an early start on a young couple's dream!

24 Comments

I’m out early this Saturday morning helping a young couple find their own little piece of heaven. Despite the fact that many doom and gloom prognosticators now blatantly state that home ownership is no longer the American dream, this couple recognizes that this is a great time to buy as a hedge...

01/14/2011

How much is my land worth today?

21 Comments

I had an inquiry yesterday from an out-of-state resident that was curious as to what a parcel of land he purchased in 2007 might sell for today. Whenever I get one of these questions, I first find out as much about the property as I can by studying public records and looking at aerial photos. It...

01/14/2011