Christian Real Estate Professionals

Relocate to Charlotte NC

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:56:40 -0400

Relocate to Charlotte NC

If you're thinking of relocating to the Charlotte NC area, here's a little taste of what you'll find in Charlotte.

RELOCATION: If you're relocating to Charlotte NC, you're going to need someone to share knowledge with you about the job market, the housing market, schools and so much more. Contact us for specific information regarding your move to Charlotte--that's what we do best! If you'd like to read more information on relocating to Charlotte, visit our website at www.DebeSellsCharlotte.com or read more about our city at www.WeBlogCharlotte.com or on our real estate blog, ActiveRain.

Find all of the relocation information you'll need right at your fingertips at www.iCharlotteRealEstate.com

HELPFUL LINKS:

Open publication - Free publishing

Search Charlotte Neighborhoods

Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

(THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

Disclosure of material contained within.

Keyword Tools for Your Blog

Brad Andersohn (Zillow - Outreach Manager) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:26:11 -0500

Back in the day, a few of us discovered a really cool tool from Google known as "The Wonder Wheel" which helped members with keyword selection for their SEO friendly blog posts. Now that the Wonder Wheel is gone, I get literally hundreds of requests from members looking for good alternatives to enhance and better the "Keyword" content on their blogs, sites, posts, and blog titles.

Understanding The Importance of Keyword Searches:

Search engines like Google focus on returning the best quality and "Best Available" SERP's (Search Engine Results Pages) It's all based on what "Keywords" or phrases are being typed into the Search box. Search engines simply want to return the best available matching content based on both short-tail and long-tail keyword searches.

The two things people search most are: the item, the person, the company, the thing or service, and then a geographic or what many refer to as a "hyper-local" location. Having this knowledge about search engines and keywords is the first step, the next steps will hopefully help remove the guessing game of...

"What are people looking for and typing in the search box of search engines?"

No pun intended (well, maybe a little...) SEARCH NO MORE! While we can never really be 100% certain of what people are searching and the exact keywords or terms they're using, these keyword tools will help you not only define what IS being searched on the web, but how and what keywords to be using when creating and refining your blog titles and blog content.

Keyword Tools for Your Blog

Introducing Google's Keyword Tool:

In the "Keyword Search" we typed "Real Estate in San Francisco" which seems like a pretty reasonable search that most web surfers would type if interested in looking at Real Estate in San Francisco. Interestingly the "Keyword Tool" came back showing that there is a larger percentage of people searching San Francisco Apartments which might make sense considering the space and demographic of San Francisco.

Maybe creating a Blog post with the Title "San Francisco Apartments" and then provide content on how those living in "San Francisco Apartments" could qualify for a great loan, with great rates, and possibly become first time buyers and first time homeowners. Would this be a worthy option and idea worth trying? This is just a sample of how you can use these Keyword tools to better your content, your traffic, and hopefully your business.

How should I use the Keyword Tool for keyword ideas?

Search for specific keyword ideas that are related to your business, product, or service. Or you can search a URL containing content relative to your specific niche, business, or service. You can also go straight to filtering out specific keyword categories. Use one or the other or both of them together; the keyword tool is very flexible and intuitive depending on how you choose to use it. Go ahead and try this:

Use the Advanced options to refine your search, for example, by county, city, or neighborhood.
Check or Un-check the keyword match type check boxes to refine your search.
Select the Columns button above the results table to customize the columns you see in the results.

Give the Google Keyword Tool a Try

Check out the Google Keyword Toolbox

Soovle Is Another Great Keyword Tool

Soovle.com search multiple sites and returns most searched results on multiple platforms of your choosing. You can select from up to 15 sites at one time to get the most poplar searched "Keywords" or related "Phrases" on those individual sites. Here are the results as I started typing the keywords "Real Estate" when suddenly I realized that if I stopped typing, the Soovle tool kicked in and started solving...

I was personally pretty excited to see that on the Yahoo site, "Zillow Real Estate" was a pretty popular search by consumers and Internet surfers. (I do hope you have a profile setup on our site for those visitors to view)

Go Ahead, Take Soovle For A Spin

SEOBOOK Keyword Suggestion Tools

SEOBOOKS Keyword suggestion tool cross-references Wordtracker.com, Google, and others. It displays links to related search results, semantically related phrases, and offers a new CVS exporting option which rocks. SEOBooks combined with Google Insights will provide you with a wealth of FREE data and information to set you on your way using "Keywords" effectively in your online marketing, advertising, and blogging endeavors going forward.

Check out SEOBooks, you won't be disappointed.

"The objective of a business website or blog is to attract potential buyers and convert them into paying customers. Keywords can help. Use appropriate keywords on your site and you’ll attract visitors who want to buy the types of products you offer." Source: Wordtracker

"Hover your mouse above for hidden message"

I'm always looking to provide better, faster, more efficient, and cost effective ways to help get the job done, but I'm only one grain of sand on a very large beach. If you find this content useful and worthy, take a second to reblog it. You can help spread the ActiveRain love across larger beaches much faster, and by doing so, you're helping to take the" "keyword" message further and make the process easier and better for those that might be following you or your blogs. Thanks. :-)

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"May this blog be just one more planted seed of wisdom that helps you or your business blossom today!"

What Can You Do to Ensure an Accurate Appraisal of Your Charlotte Real Estate?

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:44:33 -0500

These days, in our area, the most questioned aspect of the real estate transaction is no longer, “Will the buyer qualify for the loan?” but, rather, “What about the appraisal?” With 3 ‘bad’ appraisals under my belt during the past year, I have grown extremely weary of that phone call from the appraiser to schedule their appraisal!

Let me first clarify that 2 of the 3 ‘bad’ appraisals were reversed after providing the SAME comparables that were presented to the appraiser at the home. The management companies requested that the appraiser review, providing them with the information that I’m assuming they actually LOOKED at this time, and the proper adjustments were made.

Secondly, when an appraiser phones in our area to MEET us at the home, this means that the appraiser does not hold a key to our Supra boxes, meaning, for the most part, that they are from far away. Something has GOT to be done about this. One of the low-ball appraisals included erroneous information as well as use of comparables from outside the standard distance from a subject property. As well, they included properties from subdivisions that had comparably SIZED homes but, in completely different communities (ie vinyl vs. all-brick communities).

Appraisals are final when it comes to securing money from a bank, so don’t let a poor one ruin your Charlotte real estate plans. Be proactive to ensure that your appraiser is competent and has all the information he or she needs. Your purchase, sale or refinancing goals could be wrecked with a low-ball appraisal.

Minimize the risk of receiving an inaccurate appraisal by …

Meeting the appraiser at the house. Show them around your Charlotte real estate, just like you’d show a potential buyer. That way you can highlight some of your home’s unique features that they might otherwise overlook. Also, if they have any questions about when things were updated or replaced, you’ll be there to share all relevant information — instead of them just taking a guess.

Establishing that he or she is geographically competent. Appraisers that don’t know the area can misquote, so be sure to ask them questions, such as how far their office is from the property and if they have access to local MLS data. If you feel the appraiser doesn’t meet geographic competency standards, then you can raise the issue with your agent and the lender involved.

Providing him or her with comparables. You probably know the neighborhood better than the appraiser, so supply information on recently sold homes that you think are similar to yours. He or she might not use them but, each time that I’ve handed the comparables to the appraiser, the seem very appreciative.

Record any mistakes. Always ask for a copy of the appraisal to review, because appraisers make slip-ups all the time. Especially if the value is low, be sure to look over the details of the appraisal and call out any discrepancies. If this is the case, you won’t be able to change the designated value but, you can file a complaint against the appraiser. If the mistakes are big, ensure you get a second appraisal.

Don’t let an inaccurate home appraisal ruin your financial goals. We take Charlotte real estate appraisals seriously. Be proactive, do your homework and definitely review the final version. Your agent should provide you with this information to share with the appraiser.

If you’re getting ready to sell your home or purchase a new one and have questions about appraisals, please call me at (704) 491-3310or email me at Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com for more information.

Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

(THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

Disclosure of material contained within.

Top FREE Image and Photo Editing Sites

Brad Andersohn (Zillow - Outreach Manager) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:18:42 -0500

There is so much concern and “Buzz” about Google shutting down Picnik.com, I decided to provide you with some alternative tools for editing and customizing your graphics, photos, and images. While Picnik.com will be shutting down in April 2012, here are some other options you have available immediately.

FotoFlexer – Create some dazzling photo and image effects in your browser for FREE. Use Animations, resizing, coloring, contrast and more. Take a look at These 5 Demo’s for a quick tour of what FotoFlexer has to offer, you’ll love some of these cool features. Smart Scissor is a favorite feature.

Pixlr – and for Picnik users, try Pixlr Express. You’ll love the Editor, the Pixlr-o-matic, the Pixlr Grabber for Firefox and Chrome browsers, and the Pixlr Imm.io hosting, all of which are very robust and user friendly cool features.

LunaPic – This site will rock your world! Lunapic offers more choices and options for photo editing and custom effects than some of the paid software applications I’ve purchased and used in the past. Use vignettes, color bars, animated imaging, picture frames, retro color, collages, custom text, reflection animations, slide shows, and a ton more. One of the most feature rich FREE online editors available. You’re gonna love this site.

FreeOnlinePhotoEditor – A really simple and easy to use photo and image editor for those “quick fix and gotta go” graphics. Very basic but simple and fast. Some of the other online photo and image tools include: OnlinePhotoTool.com: Online photo editor, Automatically resize your images when sending it by email, Create an Image from your RSS feed, Create Image from your Tweet and Twitter account, and Create, save and email screenshots.

BeFunky - Be Funky lets you do some pretty amazing things with your photos and graphics. Most of the features and tools are focused on creating cool, fun, and funky effects and artwork. The site’s name says it. Some of the effects available would take hours to create in Photoshop or other high end and costly photo/image editors.

Definitely worthy of a visit and tour.

Photoshop.com – That’s right, you can use Photoshop online and for FREE. You’ll need to register, but I promise it will be worth it. The Photoshop tools are powerful and very easy to use. Be prepared to spend a little time here, you’ll be amazed at what they have to offer and allow you to do online for free. I’m not going to lie, this is one of my favorites and my personal replacement for Picnik.com closing down.

GIMP – GIMP is very similar to Adobe Photoshop except that GIMP is FREE. It does require you to download the software but one huge benefit to that is it will never be bought and shut down on you. It is a very powerful and feature intense program so unless you’re really experienced with editing and graphic design, or you have more time than it takes to close a short sale, you may want to stick with one of the others.

I personally like to use GIMP for graphic design more than image or photo editing.

Combine all these together and you’ll have more FREE editing tools and features than you’ll ever need or use and absolutely FREE. Take a few moments to review each site, bookmark them, then give each one a try to see which one(s) best meet your photo and image editing needs. Enjoy!

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"May this blog be just one more planted seed of wisdom that helps you or your business blossom today!"

Fran's Friday Forum...WHY SOME DON'T GET IT...!!!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:57:39 -0500

I listened carefully to The State of The Union Address on Tuesday evening...And before commenting on it I let some time for reflection pass by...

What a clever ‘PEP RALLY’ led by a clever orator...!!!

Missing from the speech, however, were many important items on the minds of many like minded citizens...Among which were decreasing the size of government, curtailing government spending, putting unemployed and under-employed people back to work soon, de-funding Planned Parenthood, lowering corporate taxes, freeing the US from dependence on foreign oil, reducing gas prices at the pump (they’ve actually doubled since he took office), the whole topic of RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, and failure to comply with campaign promises...i.e. reducing unemployment to below 8%, reducing the deficit (which actually increased by 5 trillion dollars), utilizing high speed rail, closing Guantanamo (though I’m in favor of keeping it as is), etc...to name a few...

In fact, the speech made more promises which would insure the continued growth of government and which provided additional assurances that we are certainly on the wrong track...

Not understood is the simple fact that ‘government’ offers more problems and virtually no solutions...

SOLUTIONS...SOLUTIONS...SOLUTIONS...!!!

Most intelligent leaders surround themselves with capable advisors...then implement their wisdom...

The promises made were of the ‘pie in the sky’ variety, and even if possible to accomplish, would take at least another full term to implement...FIVE MORE YEARS...???

If those who drink the ‘KOOL AID’ of this administration insist on more of the same...THEY JUST DON’T GET IT...

Yes, President Bush left in a poor economy...but in three years of this administration, two of which controlled every branch of government except the Judiciary, things HAVE GOTTEN WORSE...

OH, don’t misunderstand what I’m saying...The United States is still the greatest country on earth...BUT MUCH NEEDS YET TO BE DONE...

So why don’t some get it...???.......THEY CAN”T HANDLE THE TRUTH, especially the acknowledgement that they may have cast a wrong vote in the last election...!!!

A truly intelligent person realizes how limited one person is to solve the problems of a nation, and surrounds him/herself with other wise leaders, the sum of whose capability to solve our problems exceeds the wisdom of each.......THEN ACTS UPON THAT WISDOM...!!!

Have a great weekend...and as The President closed his ‘PEP RALLY’...God Bless The United States...!!!

P.S. STAY TUNED: NEXT WEEK.......HOW OBAMA'S BILLION WILL BE SPENT...!!!

Charlotte NC Home Sellers - North Carolina Property Disclosures

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:58:24 -0500

What You Need to Know About Charlotte Real Estate Disclosures

When buyers step into Charlotte real estate that is listed for sale, the may notice the seller has applied a fresh coat of paint or installed new carpet. While most sellers make updates like this to make their home more appealing to buyers, some are also trying to hide faults within their home, such as water damage or cracks.

As a Charlotte home seller, you are obligated to disclose all major property issues. A Charlotte home buyer should double-check the disclosure statement before signing any sort of Contract to purchase the home.

Read this important information about Charlotte real estate disclosures BEFORE listing your Charlotte home for sale or for buyers, before purchasing a Charlotte home:

If you know it, disclose it. Don’t try to hide anything negative about a home you’re selling because it could come back to bite you. There are standard documents that sellers can fill out but, also know that verbal disclosures can be documented as well.
Things you should disclose. Disclose all renovations, whether or not you were required to obtain a permit. Other normal disclosures include property line disputes, termite problems, chronic neighborhood disruptions (noise, etc.), major mechanical and appliance issues, among others.
Disclosures and inspections are not the same thing. Some people get these confused. A disclosure is something the seller fills out and gives to the buyer. A Charlotte home inspection is conducted by an independent party and might bring to light issues of which the seller is unaware.
Improper disclosure can result in a lawsuit. If buyers quickly discover that their new home has serious undisclosed issues or renovations that were hidden and aren’t up to code, they can ask their real estate agent to confront the seller’s agent and seek a settlement. If the seller does not cooperate, the buyers have the right to file a lawsuit.

If you’re getting ready to sell your Charlotte real estate and would like help deciding what to include in the disclosure, or if you’d like to buy a home and want to be sure you’re getting all the proper disclosures, I can help. Give me a call today at (704)491-3310 or email me at Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com.

Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

(THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

Disclosure of material contained within.

Sleeper of a Listing in Sun Valley, Nevada!

"DREAMS REALTY" Terry Rasner-Yacenda (Broker,Owner - Dreams Realty) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:52:31 -0500

Property Detail 5455 Lani Circle
Sun Valley, NV 89433 $46,400 4 Beds 2 Bath 1584 Sq. Ft. Listing ID #:964 FAVORITES RATING: Additional Property Details This is a spacious home! The kitchen area is very open and the ceiling has great dimensions. Home has warm colors throughout, creating a comfortable and cozy feel. Property Details Single Family Home 4 bedrooms 1584 sq. ft. living area 2 bathrooms Property Features Property Type: re RoomOther: Status: Active Construction: Area: 1584 Directions: Year Built: Energy: 4 total bedroom(s) Fence: 2 total bath(s) Utilities: Approximately 1584 sq. ft. Floors: Stories: HeatSystem: Type: re LotDesc: Style: Interior: Kitchen: Garage: Neighborhood Info Neighborhood Profile Quick Glance Population : 22,253 Population Density: 1495.5 Median Age : 32.4 years Median Income : $43,406 Cost of Living Index : 103.3 Weather January Avg Temp : 29.9° F July Avg Temp : 91.4° F Sunny Days : 251 Precipitation Days : 251 Rainfall (inches) : 9.5 Snowfall (inches) : 27.4 Demographics Jobs Unemployment Rate : 0.03% Recent Job Growth : 0.04% Future Job Growth : 0.17% Housing Statistics Median Home Age : 12 years Median Home Value : $255,400

Renter v Owner

Education Statistics School Expenditures : $4,937 People/Teachers Ratio : 18.2 Student/Librarian : 557 Students/Counselor : 394 A - HS Grad
B - Some College
C - Bachelor Degree
D - Graduate Degree Local School Data Sun valley Schools

SCHOOL NAME TYPE CLASS SIZE PARENT REVIEWS Virginia Palmer Elementary School Public 579

Quaint & Cozy Reno Home!

"DREAMS REALTY" Terry Rasner-Yacenda (Broker,Owner - Dreams Realty) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:30:14 -0500

Property Detail 620 Ruby Creek Lane
Reno, NV 89506 $75,000 2 Beds 1 Bath 972 Sq. Ft. Listing ID #:483 FAVORITES RATING: Additional Property Details Adorable home located in the quaint community of Tenaya Creek. This home includes beautiful laminate flooring in the living room and extends down the hallway. The kitchen is open an bright with tons of cabinet space. Natural light flows throughout the home. Call today for a private showing. Property Details Single Family Home 2 bedrooms 972 sq. ft. living area 1 bathrooms Property Features Property Type: re RoomOther: Status: Active Construction: Area: 972 Directions: Year Built: Energy: 2 total bedroom(s) Fence: 1 total bath(s) Utilities: Approximately 972 sq. ft. Floors: Stories: HeatSystem: Type: re LotDesc: Style: Interior: Kitchen: Garage: Neighborhood Info Neighborhood Profile Quick Glance Population : 37,206 Population Density: 153.8 Median Age : 33 years Median Income : $52,163 Cost of Living Index : 105.2 Weather January Avg Temp : 25.1° F July Avg Temp : 89.2° F Sunny Days : 251 Precipitation Days : 251 Rainfall (inches) : 12.4 Snowfall (inches) : 19.3 Demographics Jobs Unemployment Rate : 0.03% Recent Job Growth : 0.04% Future Job Growth : 0.17% Housing Statistics Median Home Age : 19 years Median Home Value : $264,900

Renter v Owner

Education Statistics School Expenditures : $4,996 People/Teachers Ratio : 18.9 Student/Librarian : 567 Students/Counselor : 392 A - HS Grad
B - Some College
C - Bachelor Degree
D - Graduate Degree Local School Data Reno Schools

SCHOOL NAME TYPE CLASS SIZE PARENT REVIEWS Lemmon Valley Elementary School Public 696 William O'Brien Middle School Public 807 Stead Elementary School Public 754 Nancy Gomes Elementary School Public 609 Silver Lake Elementary School Public 638

Another Surprise Listing in Fallon, Nevada -- tons of information!

"DREAMS REALTY" Terry Rasner-Yacenda (Broker,Owner - Dreams Realty) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:09:19 -0500

Property Detail 2600 Tarzyn Road
Fallon, NV 89406 $52,000 3 Beds 2 Bath 1544 Sq. Ft. Listing ID #:868 FAVORITES RATING: Additional Property Details Wonderful Fallon home! There's plenty of room to roam on this 1 acre lot. Home has fun and upbeat colors throughout the home. Property Details Single Family Home 3 bedrooms 1544 sq. ft. living area 2 bathrooms Property Features Property Type: re RoomOther: Status: Active Construction: Area: 1544 Directions: Year Built: Energy: 3 total bedroom(s) Fence: 2 total bath(s) Utilities: Approximately 1544 sq. ft. Floors: Stories: HeatSystem: Type: re LotDesc: Style: Interior: Kitchen: Garage: Neighborhood Info Neighborhood Profile Quick Glance Population : 24,999 Population Density: 7.4 Median Age : 35.5 years Median Income : $42,710 Cost of Living Index : 100 Weather January Avg Temp : 17.8° F July Avg Temp : 93.4° F Sunny Days : 241 Precipitation Days : 241 Rainfall (inches) : 5.8 Snowfall (inches) : 4.9 Demographics Jobs Unemployment Rate : 0.04% Recent Job Growth : 0.02% Future Job Growth : 0.21% Housing Statistics Median Home Age : 20 years Median Home Value : $216,800

Renter v Owner

Education Statistics School Expenditures : $5,529 People/Teachers Ratio : 17.4 Student/Librarian : 440 Students/Counselor : 486 A - HS Grad
B - Some College
C - Bachelor Degree
D - Graduate Degree Local School Data Churchill County School District Administrative office:
Churchill County School District
545 E. Richards Street,Fallon,NV
Churchill
Phone : (775) 423-5184
District Webite Grades: K-12
Schools : 8
Student Enrollment: 4424

Churchill County School District

8 Schools

In-depth district information including test scores, student stats, for Churchill County School District, Fallon, NV.

SCHOOL NAME TYPE CLASS SIZE PARENT REVIEWS Churchill County High School Public 1314 Churchill County Junior High School Public 655 Ec Best Elementary School Public 480 Northside Elementary School Public 431 West End Elementary School Public 461

Reno, Nevada Listing that "Rocks" with Information!

"DREAMS REALTY" Terry Rasner-Yacenda (Broker,Owner - Dreams Realty) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:38:27 -0500

Property Detail 3102 Eastshore Place
Reno, NV 89509 $74,000 2 Beds 1 Bath 1261 Sq. Ft. Listing ID #:547 FAVORITES RATING: Additional Property Details UPdated two story townhome. This home includes updated kithcen cabinets, countertops and appliances. There is a wood burning fireplace. Centrally located and just steps from Virginia Lake. Property Details Single Family Home 2 bedrooms 1261 sq. ft. living area 1 bathrooms Property Features Property Type: re RoomOther: Status: Active Construction: Area: 1261 Directions: Year Built: Energy: 2 total bedroom(s) Fence: 1 total bath(s) Utilities: Approximately 1261 sq. ft. Floors: Stories: HeatSystem: Type: re LotDesc: Style: Interior: Kitchen: Garage: Neighborhood Info Neighborhood Profile Quick Glance Population : 46,525 Population Density: 2879 Median Age : 41.9 years Median Income : $56,209 Cost of Living Index : 129.9 Weather January Avg Temp : 23.3° F July Avg Temp : 86.2° F Sunny Days : 251 Precipitation Days : 251 Rainfall (inches) : 14.6 Snowfall (inches) : 15.7 Demographics Jobs Unemployment Rate : 0.03% Recent Job Growth : 0.04% Future Job Growth : 0.17% Housing Statistics Median Home Age : 25 years Median Home Value : $445,300

Renter v Owner

Education Statistics School Expenditures : $4,970 People/Teachers Ratio : 19.7 Student/Librarian : 556 Students/Counselor : 395 A - HS Grad
B - Some College
C - Bachelor Degree
D - Graduate Degree Local School Data Reno Schools

SCHOOL NAME TYPE CLASS SIZE PARENT REVIEWS Anderson Elementary School Public 513 Darrell C Swope Middle School Public 822 Hunter Lake Elementary School Public 406 Jessie Beck Elementary School Public 536 Reno High School Public 1896

Great new look! Fantastic Sparks Listing!

"DREAMS REALTY" Terry Rasner-Yacenda (Broker,Owner - Dreams Realty) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:25:54 -0500

Property Detail 1056 Bradley Square
Sparks, NV 89434 $67,500 2 Beds 1 Bath 1380 Sq. Ft. Listing ID #:644 FAVORITES RATING: Additional Property Details Great deal on a townhome in Central Sparks. Located near shopping, schools, and major transportation routes. Downstairs of home has a great open layout from the kitchen to the living area. Repairs have been completed on this property. All bedrooms are upstairs. This is a great price and will not last. This is a Fannie Mae Homepath property. Purchase this home for as little as 3.5% down! This property is approved for Homepath Mortgage Financing. Property Details Single Family Home 2 bedrooms 1380 sq. ft. living area 1 bathrooms Property Features Property Type: re RoomOther: Status: Active Construction: Area: 1380 Directions: Year Built: Energy: 2 total bedroom(s) Fence: 1 total bath(s) Utilities: Approximately 1380 sq. ft. Floors: Stories: HeatSystem: Type: re LotDesc: Style: Interior: Kitchen: Garage: Neighborhood Info Neighborhood Profile Quick Glance Population : 24,232 Population Density: 742.6 Median Age : 36.9 years Median Income : $53,186 Cost of Living Index : 107.3 Weather January Avg Temp : 23.9° F July Avg Temp : 89.9° F Sunny Days : 251 Precipitation Days : 251 Rainfall (inches) : 8.5 Snowfall (inches) : 5.7 Demographics Jobs Unemployment Rate : 0.03% Recent Job Growth : 0.04% Future Job Growth : 0.17% Housing Statistics Median Home Age : 18 years Median Home Value : $287,300

Renter v Owner

Education Statistics School Expenditures : $6,708 People/Teachers Ratio : 18.3 Student/Librarian : 362 Students/Counselor : 318 A - HS Grad
B - Some College
C - Bachelor Degree
D - Graduate Degree Local School Data Sparks Schools

SCHOOL NAME TYPE CLASS SIZE PARENT REVIEWS Hillside Elementary School Public 59 Edward C Reed High School Public 2464 Marvin Moss Elementary School Public 606 Katherine Dunn Elementary School Public 575 Lloyd Diedrichsen Elementary School Public 448

Oh Wow -- this is our latest website listing look (check out all the local Reno area information)!

"DREAMS REALTY" Terry Rasner-Yacenda (Broker,Owner - Dreams Realty) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:07:27 -0500

Property Detail 2700 Plumas St.
Reno, NV 89509 $29,000 1 Beds 1 Bath 734 Sq. Ft. Listing ID #:197 FAVORITES RATING: Additional Property Details Nice clean condo right across the street from Lakeridge Golf Course! 1 bedroom, 1 bath, pool, clubhouse and laundry room on site. A lot of care has gone into this condo. Lockbox is on the fence by the front door. Owner occupied, need 2 hours notice to see. Call listing agent to show. Property Details Single Family Home 1 bedrooms 734 sq. ft. living area 1 bathrooms Property Features Property Type: re RoomOther: Status: Active Construction: Area: 734 Directions: Year Built: Energy: 1 total bedroom(s) Fence: 1 total bath(s) Utilities: Approximately 734 sq. ft. Floors: Stories: HeatSystem: Type: re LotDesc: Style: Interior: Kitchen: Garage: Neighborhood Info Neighborhood Profile Quick Glance Population : 46,525 Population Density: 2879 Median Age : 41.9 years Median Income : $56,209 Cost of Living Index : 129.9 Weather January Avg Temp : 23.3° F July Avg Temp : 86.2° F Sunny Days : 251 Precipitation Days : 251 Rainfall (inches) : 14.6 Snowfall (inches) : 15.7 Demographics Jobs Unemployment Rate : 0.03% Recent Job Growth : 0.04% Future Job Growth : 0.17% Housing Statistics Median Home Age : 25 years Median Home Value : $445,300

Renter v Owner

Fran's Friday Forum...KEYS TO TRUST...!!!

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:29:48 -0500

Most of you probably are unaware that for around 3 years now, since I have been ‘semi-retired’, I have taken on driving two ‘special ed’ students to school and back home each day...

This doesn’t conflict with my ‘consulting’ duties at Patriot Land Transfer, Inc., since I am able to squeeze in most of the midday hours at My Title Insurance agency and still accomplish getting the students to and from school in a timely manner...

Of course, I couldn’t do this without the assistance of my very competent and compassionate staff, who constantly cover my back...Special thanks to my Son In Law, Gil, who juggles the whole project adroitly...!!!

BTW, I refer to my two students as ‘PRECIOUS CARGO’...and I take these duties very seriously...!!!

The vehicle I drive is owned by a local ‘Transportation Company’ that is contracted by our local school district...

Recently, the keys to the van were lost, and I had to use the only spare set that the company owned...and because of the unique design of the key, (a remote with a built in flip key), replacement would have been quite expensive...like around $250.00...

Now THE PLOT THICKENS...For 3 days these are some of the things I engaged in :

      ***My special prayers to Saint Anthony, patron Saint of lost articles...PERSISTENTLY

      ***Using my extremely amateur investigating experience...REPLACE ‘EXTREMELY’ WITH ‘RANK’

      ***Coaxing my almost 69 year old memory to recall bit by bit my last run with the van before the weekend...I THINK

      ***Retracing my steps based on that recollection...FRAME BY FRAME

      ***Poring over and through multiple times...clothing, personal vehicles, The School Van itself, the garage and area where the keys are kept between runs, my entire house and garage...and every square inch of space in between...FOUND NOTHING

      ***Making phone calls to other coworkers who might know the WHEREABOUTS of THE MISSING KEYS...ALL DEAD ENDS

      ***Inviting the suggestions of other rank amateur ‘PI’ friends and family members...TO NO AVAIL

Then, all of a sudden, without warning and like magic, in silence and mysteriously...VOILA !!!...THE KEYS APPEARED...NEATLY HUNG ON THEIR DEDICATED HOOK...as if they were never missing...

Borrowing the once used military policy of ‘DON’T ASK...DON’T TELL’...I was thankful enough that they ‘showed up’ not to play the blame game...BUT...

Isn’t it a shame that coworkers can’t be open and honest and trusted...???

Have a great weekend...!!!

Fran's Friday Forum...OLD AMBASSADORS NEVER DIE...!!!

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:42:51 -0500

That’s right, old Ambassadors never die, they just fade away into RAINMAKING...!!!

In case you haven’t noticed I’ve lost my ‘Ambassador’s Badge’ here at Active Rain...That’s right again, I’ve been relegated to be a plain old ‘RAINMAKER’.......once again...

Oh, don’t be concerned that I was involuntarily ‘IMPEACHED’ by the wonderful staff at AR...

My return to RAINMAKING was very mutually agreed upon...

You see, I’m from Douglassville, Pennsylvania, and I have sometimes been referred to as the ‘ASS’ in the center of DouglASSville...

I recently became aware that AmbASSador also had an ‘ASS’ in its center...AND...

Since I felt there were already too many ‘ASSES’ to go around in this great Country of ours...

Well, let’s just say I agreed to lose my ‘ASS’ at Active Rain in favor of returning to my very familiar role as ‘RAINMAKER’...

What with so many droughts in our Country these days...geographically, politically, and spiritually...

We can certainly use a breath of fresh air and A GOOD CLEANSING RAIN...!!!

Not to worry.......FRAN'S FRIDAY FORUM and Fran's Blog will still go on, and, who knows, I may still have time to post between FORUMS...

Have a great weekend...!!!

Seeking Your Ideas and Perspective - Planning for 2012 and Beyond

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:49:03 -0500

If you don't mind, I'd love to hear some input and perspective from you. I have a number of decisions on my mind with our company, and I would welcome any helpful advice/direction. Please note that I said "helpful". :) I'm editing this opening paragraph now that I've finished writing the rest of the post and I realize that some of the stuff I wrote below seems a little disjointed. Hang in there if you can.

Here's the thing: I've been selling homes full-time in Austin for 15 years as of this month. I started my own brokerage just over 7 years ago. We've had some very good years (thankfully, 2011 was one of them) and a couple of very lean years, too. As we begin another year, my business partner and I are evaluating things to try to determine the best direction for ourselves and our company. I find myself going back and forth between two extremes: big-time company growth vs. streamlining, saving money, and focusing on my own sales.

We're paying way too much for office space, so we're likely moving down the hall to a smaller, much less expensive space. Most of our agents work from home, so it seems silly to pay for a large space with lots of barely-used desks. This downsize in physical office space will save us $1700/month, so that's a no-brainer. We will be moving.

I could use some of the savings for additional marketing/branding, I suppose. Again, I'd have to think about the most effective use of these dollars. I've used just about every type of print and internet marketing technique over the years, and it seems that the internet is the only one that makes much sense, outside of handwritten notes (not a joke). Again, I welcome your input.

We have a nice system in place for the leads from our website, and a relatively substantial number of new prospective buyers sign up every day. I would love to increase our conversion rate for these leads, since I worked so hard to get the traffic in the first place. It seems that this would probably entail more accountability, and a different system, although I have no idea how much this might cost to design and implement. I could focus on SEO, but since we're getting ample traffic, perhaps the site needs a re-design to maximize its effectiveness? Here's our primary website: http://www.austintexashomes.com

I DO offer something that seems to be in short supply based on my conversations with agents: I care. I genuinely care about the people who work for us, and I am available pretty much any time to answer questions or provide advice. I've never been involved in a lawsuit or mediation of any kind, because we really try to head off problems before they grow into full-fledged legal issues. I value honesty and integrity, which might be a hindrance to substantial growth, although I'd like to think otherwise. Maybe I'm not cut-throat enough, and I'm okay with that.

There's no easy way to say this next part, so I guess I'll just be blunt. I promise it's not sour grapes, just an observation. I have seen other local companies grow to 50 agents and beyond with seemingly less to offer, other than possibly bravado and aggressiveness on the part of the managing broker/owner. I don't begrudge them their success, and I'm sure I could learn something from their recruiting efforts. Having interviewed a few agents who went to work elsewhere, only to be disillusioned, I just can't bring myself to over-promise to agents. Yes, we have leads. No, I can't tell you how many to expect, nor do I want agents who are dependent on me or the company to produce all or most of their business.

I haven't instituted minimum production standards for our agents, partly because it struck me as disingenous, since I wouldn't have been given a chance with my original mentor/broker if these were in place, but I think I was a great addition to his team for 8 years. It reminds me of the classified ads I used to see for Dell Computers that required a college degree and 2-4 years of experience, when the CEO was a college dropout. That being said, I don't think I want very many brand-new agents, partly because of the time commitment involved in training. What are your thoughts on minimum standards for sales production?

I've managed up to 20 agents in the past, and I think I could handle a lot more (40-50+), under the right circumstances. Namely, if I weren't so dependent on my own sales to provide the vast majority of my income, and if the agents were at least somewhat self-sufficient. I recognize that this sounds obvious.

I guess the bottom line is that I am torn between building an actual business that can provide income for me on its own vs. continuing to grow my personal sales. I am now 41 years old. I don't think I want to drive people around showing houses (even if they're nice houses) when I am 60 or 70.

I need a plan.

Feel free to chime in below with ideas. I'm all ears.

Thanks for reading!

Photo credit:Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr.com Creative Commons license

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If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can also visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. If you're interested in social media training, visit 210 Consulting. Thanks!

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Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/BrokerBroker@TheCharlotteScoop.comPhone (704) 491-3310

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Fran's Friday Forum...OLD AMBASSADORS NEVER DIE...!!!

Seeking Your Ideas and Perspective - Planning for 2012 and Beyond

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310