E.Pat Foster's (epat) Blog

Many REALTORS® are active members of their community ...and do what they can to help their community, plus try to balance their lives. At a recent fundraising event (our local board council was hosting an auction to raise money for local affordable housing issues) I heard bits of conversations th...

An all-female surveying crew in Idaho in 1918 Ever wonder about the history of boundary surveys? Many deeds make reference to monuments and markers (such as iron rods, pipes, concrete posts) but some descriptions (especially in Maine) also refer to blazes in trees, piled stone corners, old stone ...

If you are trying to help your clients stage their home for sale, and they need to ‘de-clutter', why not start out with a yard sale and get rid of the unwanted items. "One man's trash, is another man's treasure".I recently came across an article written by Marshall Loeb, former editor of Fortune,...

Have you (and/or your clients) considered the tax savings if you get an opportunity to negotiate and close on a new home before the end of the year?Purchasing a home before December 31st means that you might benefit from significant deductions on your income tax return for property taxes, points ...

I was attending the NAR convention in Las Vegas last week. Great meetings...limitless business growth and limitless fun!. As a member of the 2nd Home Resort Committee, I attended the annual committee meeting today and listened to the other members talk about resort areas around the country. In mo...

REALTOR® Family Photo....The National Association's first Board of Directors, 1909. Where are the women in this family? I'm going to have to search the 'family tree' to find out when women began to appear in Association photos. "Stay tuned" My Realtor Family was founded as the National Associatio...

House of Sand and Fog By Andre Dubus III Thinking of FSBO (For Sale by Owner) ? Or do you have customers who should be come your clients? Read this book, then decide if you  (or they) want to ‘go it alone' or have their REALTOR® help them(Of course, after you finish this book, you (or they) may d...

Visit the 'ZipSkinny' web site and you might find some interest statistics. Especially if you are planning to relocate or conduct business in a particular location. Perhaps you just want the 'Skinny' on a Neighborhood? Or you are helping a client relocate? All you have to do is type in a zip code...

What good is a memory stick if you can't remember where you put it?GramEgram:If you have an important document that you want to transport from one computer to another, or want to make sure you have it with you when you travel... and you cannot find the flash memory card...because you ‘lost your m...