Fayetteville, NC Real Estate Blog

Most every real estate agent I know works from a laptop for the portability issue.  And why not?  Laptops today are just as powerful and have generous hard drive space to be comparable to their desk top counterparts.

Laptops have made our world more portable and have put more people on-line and searching for homes.

Laptops not doubt about it are a plus to our industry.

BUT....laptops simply get HOT!  Ever used one on your lap without a lap desk for any period if time?  Scorcher, wasn't it?

Sure, laptops have a built in fan, as all computers do.  But the desk tops have a much larger fans than the ultra-portable laptop computers and run much cooler due to the large open spaces inside the tower case.

So what are we to do?

Make a smart investment.  Make an investment that will make your lap top last longer and run cooler....your lap top will thank you.

There are many varities of laptop coolers.  From stands to USB fan powered units.

I personally recommend a USB fan powered unit for your lap top.  Most contain up to three fans stratigically placed to cool the whole lap top bottom.  The stand units without fans basically just allow for more "airspace"  under the computer but no powered air movement.

I can personally testify that if you run a Toshiba lap top that they get HOT!  The reason the Toshiba gets so hot is that it runs a desk top processer inside.  Now this is ok, and it makes for a good computer, I personally own two of them, but it does make them hot.

If I do not use a cooling fan my unit can and has shut off.  The thermal protection kicks in and protects the computer....but once too many times and POOF....no more computing.

So invest a little in the life of your lap top.  Invest in a lap top cooling stand. 

Ahhh...email.  What did we do before it came along?  Do you even remember the days of handwriting a letter, placing it in an envelope, sticking on a stamp, and delivering it to the post office?

Of course you do!  Most of us still do it today as a form of direct marketing.

The advent of email has no doubt changed the world we live in.  We can instantly communicate a message to anyone just about anywhere in the world and they can reply just as fast.

Gotta love that email....

I personally have a gmail account, among others, but my gmail is my main account.  I know, I know there are those that are going to preach at me about how unprofessional it is to use a "free" email provider and that's fine, go ahead.  But I have got to tell you that I have NEVER had a client or customer tell me that I was unprofessional for using gmail.  I don't think the subject has ever come up.  Matter of fact, with Google being such a house-hold name people instantly recognize it and I have never once had to spell G M A I L like I have when I was using another domain.

Now, I have used a server that a company I worked for had and thus my email did end in the company format and while that is a good way to build recognition, I don't always agree that it is the best course of action.  I have done the opposite of most...most would suggest that your email be xxx@YourDomainName.com ...well I have done my own spin of that, mine is more like YourDomainName@gmail.com which still, in it's own way, builds name recognition.  Not to mention when I changed companies....talk about a headache to get everyone to change their address books...even had one client call me upset that they were having to make the changes.

Now...let's get to the reason that I wrote this blog.

Outlook.

You do know that you can attach your Outlook to an account like gmail and use it as your main email platform, right?  I hardley ever go into my actual gmail account, except to clean it once in awhile although using all of the capacity of a gmail account would be hard as it increases almost daily.

Outlook is a familiar platform for most and if it is not for you, it can be with very little exploration.

The best feature of Outlook, at least in my opinion, is one that keeps me looking very professional.  Whenever I click send it AUTOMATICALLY does a spell-check before allowing me to send the email.

While that may not seem like much....go ahead, send an email to an important client that is full of typos, go ahead...I dare ya.  Want your professionalism questioned?  That's a good start.

Outlook also provides an easy means to search my folders for emails that I have recieved from clients and locates them quickly.

Outlook synches with my Agent Office program thereby allowing me to create a "paper trail" of sorts throughout a clients cycle.

Outlook easily allows me to create new folders in which to quickly seperate emails by client name.

Outlook allows me to create a, in my opinion, great looking email signature that is automatically attached to all of my emails.

Now I know the other providers out there can do everything I have mentioned.   But if you use Outlook, you already understand, if not....go ahead and give it a try! 

Well....it is cold here in NC.  Just a few days ago it was 70 degrees. 

Now if you have never been to the sandhills of NC then maybe you don't understand that we have really interesting winter weather.  Usually it is rainy...I mean, get sick of it rainy.  Some days it is warm...some days, well, BRRRRRRR!!!!

Ok, so if you guessed it, I don't do well in cold.  Probably has something to do with all those cold winter nights working for the FD standing outside for hours soaking wet.  Someone once told me that if you get REALLY cold just one time that your ability to do well in the cold goes down and through that past life of the FD, I have been REALLY cold many times.

So back to the meat of this blog.  It appears that a mass of rain is coming up from the Louisiana area.  It also appears that it is going to be cold in NC for the next few days.  Hmmmm....cold and wet, that isn't good. 

Now let me explain that it doesn't usually snow in this part of NC.  If it does it is the perfect snow.  It usually falls, covers the ground, and then melts in about 2 hours.  Now how much more perfect can snow get?  I mean really!

But, living here in NC all of my life, I have to say that there is a bad thing with rain coming from the south when it gets cold in NC.  Usually if the system is coming from the North we don't get a thing.....BUT....when it comes from the south, well, sometimes we get A LOT.

I am not too worried about it, although the thought of a day off, yea, I would play hooky, sitting in my chair watching tv, blogging and whatnot sounds great, I don't expect to be building a snowman anytime soon.

The interesting thing is that in NC......well, let's just say that everyone over-reacts when even the hint of a flurryis mentioned.  The forecast for tomorrow is that it MAY flurry with a chance for accumulation on the grassy areas.  I know, to seasoned winter people that sounds like nothing but here in NC you can expect craziness.

We actually have coined a term when I worked for the FD for our snow storms...I get a chuckle evertime I say that...snow storms.  We used to ask if it was a 1 loafer, a 2 loafer, or a 3 loafer.

Confused?  Let me explain.  When snow is mentioned here people IMMEDIATELY flock to the grocery store.  I guess they figure that the BIG ONE is coming and that they MUST have bread to survive...oh, and don't forget the milk!  SO the worse the storm...the more loaves of bread one must have to survive.  Got it?  Ok, sorry if there was any confusion.

Watching the news tonight it appears that several schools have already posted a 2 hour delay of opening and they are putting the "anti-ice" coating on the roads.  They are stratigically locating snow plows, read...dump trucks with a blade attached, throughout the state...."just in case".  A little over-reaction if you ask me.  Heck, NC is one of the only places in the south that I know of that actually has salt storage facilities for snow...go figure.

I do have to admit that NC gets some wicked ice storms.  We have had them so bad that people have lost power for days....and when we get ice it is worse than ANY snowstorm.  It does shut everything down and with good reason, that stuff is MAJOR dangerous.

So....hopefully I will be able to visit ActiveRain tomorrow.....but if you don't see me, keep an eye out for the freshly built snowman!

After reading a great post addressing a reaction that a buyer's agent had to a commission offered on a sale this morning written by:

Beth Incorvati ~ REALTOR, ASP
Bel Air, MD
More about me...
Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc.

Well, let's just say that my button's were pushed.  Want to read the post and some of the responses?  Here is the address http://activerain.com/blogsview/327605/Controversial-Tacky-Or-just

It's not the post that got me...I am in complete aggreeance with what she had to say.  It is the idea that an agent would even THINK of being upset because of the commission they made on the deal.

I don't know about you but when I went to real estate school I was taught that by obtaining my license and my Realtor status that I am dedicating myself to my clients best interest....NOT MINE!

Oh....I know it's true and I do make my sellers aware that there are agents in this business which will definitely look at the commission rate when putting together their show list over what truly would be in their clients best interest.  That is a shame.  The agents that do this are definitely, rather they know it or not, not in the business for the long-term return that a client can bring.  In my opinion they are basing their careerson the money that they are making....now how would that make you feel if you were their client?

I guess I am ruffled about this because I have actually had TWO buyer's agents make the comment to me this month about the commission being offered on a property I have listed.  It is listed for a little lower than what some might consider "normal" due to it being a flipper and the constant repeat business they offer.  BOTH of these agents have come very close to violation of the Realtor Code of Ethics....very close.  I make sure I make them aware that it IS about their clients wants and needs NOT THEIR GREEDY POCKETS!

I have NEVER and will not put together a show list based on commissions that I am going to make.  I want my clients to return to me when it's time to buy or sell again....I am not interested in the "one time deal".

This post does not necessarily pertain to buyers and sellers of homes and properties.  However I feel that it applies to any and all decisions and why sometimes making those decisions can be so hard.

If you are like most people, you are a creature of habit.  Being a creature of habit causes you to "get in a grove", so to speak when it comes to the day to day routine that you adapt to and like to follow.  This is not an uncommon thing, most people follow this plan of life.

Then.....an opportunity, a change, a promotion, a large purchase, a job loss or just something that just generally disrupts your life comes along.  Call it a "bump in the road" if you like.  I know that when a big one comes along for me it definitely can be quite bumpy.

We settle into our routines, and for some, life becomes a day to day routine.  They know what to expect, for the most part, when they wake up in the morning and as their day progresses.  Be at work at 9, eat lunch at 12, sales meeting at 1, coffee break at 3, quiting time at 5, dinner at 6:30 and off to bed at 11.  Sound familiar?

At some points in our life, for reasons unknown to us, opportunities come and go.  Now some of these are positive opportunities and, well, I feel some of them are "tests" that are sent our way to see if we are aware enough to avoid them.  I am a firm believer that people in your life are put into your path of life based on decisions you make or to help you make a decision on a particular direction you are taking.

So, without divulging the whole issue, I am facing a large decision.

I have had something put into my way that could be a huge opportunity.....or wait!  Is it one of those tests that I was talking about?  So I have spent the last two weeks mulling over this decision while still going through my daily routine and being progressive in my sales career.

Talk about something that can affect your production.  WAIT!  Did I say it was a bad effect on my production...nope.  My production so far this year (for KW Agents we look at our year more of a "cap date to cap date" than calendar) which started in November is through the roof!  BUT...it makes the decision I have to make all that much harder....my year is starting off SPECTACULAR and the decision I have to make could affect that....oh...what to do, what to do.

So today my plan is to sit down with a piece of paper and write the positives and negatives of each direction available in this decision.  To try and thoroughly analyze the benefits of both directions and narrow this down.  I have cleared my schedule for this today as being an active agent everyday of the week tends to cause the focus not to be on what has to be done to make a decision.

So what do you do to make a very important decision?  What processes do you go through to make sure you are choosing the right direction for your life?

Well it's about to become 2008!  2007 is coming to a close shortly and I don't know about you but I am looking forward to getting the new year started!

Looking towards a new year has always been a big thing for me.  It's a chance to start fresh and go big!

As a tradition on New Year's Eve some people like to shoot fireworks.  Fireworks can be dangerous.

BUT NO MORE!

By clicking here http://www.maylin.net/Fireworks.html you can start your very own fireworks show right inside your home that is completely safe, quite colorful, has loud booms and are completely legal!

I have to add this warning....

This can become addictive.  I have been toying with this for the past ten minutes so go ahead and play with it tonight and tomorrow....BUT THEN GET BACK TO WORK Wednesday!

Get in there and make 2008 great!  Hey, I just made a rhyme! 

So here is my official slogan for this coming year:

2008 - it's gonna be great!

I just noticed that my point total had crested 50,000 points! 

Participating in ActiveRain is not about the points so please understand that I am not writing this blog with the hopes of gaining more, I am writing this post to celebrate the AR community!

What a great place for professionals to come together and share and learn!  I can personally tell you that I have learned an enormus amount since I have joined AR and I hope to continue that journey.

Here's to ActiveRain!  Long live this valuable resource!

As most of you know I work a lot of internet leads.  Among other sources I find that the internet is a really good way to reach my target audience because a lot of them are military and are in other places searching for home in this area.

When I checked my gmail yesterday I noticed I had a new lead.  Now when someone fills out one of my request forms I ask for an email address.  The email address was left and then I noticed something different about it.

The end of the address was trashmail.net.  Now this is one I had not heard of but am now interested in.  I could see the possibility of using this for things I don't want to be contacted about.  Now, I wish people would use their real address when they fill out my forms so I can contact them but I did find this interesting.

Apparently you can set up a temproray emaill address that can be used for just this purpose.

If you are a follower of my blog then you are aware that I recently wrote a blog concerning the loss ofmy bluetooth earpiece.  If not feel free to read the blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/303593/The-gremlins-must-have

Well, I thought I would write a follow-up to the blog as my earpiece appeared out of thin air yesterday.  I guess that means it is time to clean out my car.  I won't go into the specifics of where I found it in the car but just rest assured I found it.

Now, one week later I have purchased a new unit that was meant to replace that one.  It has worked well while the other one was on "vacation". 

I purchased the Jabra BT-125 which is smaller than the original Jabra BT-150 I had and I think I like it better.  It only has one annoying feature...when the phone rings in your ear...it plays the circus music...I mean dunt dunt dunna dunna dunt dunt....sorry, I did my best to put the music into words (sing it in your head and you will get it).  This is a great little earpiece.

So now I have a backup to my backup.  Hmmm...Ebay?

Pop-up blockers.  Great invention aren't they?  It is always nice to hear the ker-plunk sound when I am surfing the web and some advertiser has attached a pop-up to the page I am trying to visit.  Thank you to all of the creators for making the very valuable tool!

BUT, what about when you need a pop-up window to function?  In our MLS the results for searches always come up in pop-up windows.  So sometimes a need to override or disable the pop-up blocker for that site is very important.

How can you disable pop-up blockers you ask?

Great question.

On most of the toolbars you can simply click the box that shows you the amount of pop-ups blocked and add it to a list.

If you are clicking a link that is on a page you can simply hold down the "control key" and click the link and that will override the pop-up blocker.

Hope this helps as sometimes we do need the pop-up blocker and sometimes we don't depending on what we are doing.  Go ahead try it for yourself!