http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:57:55 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en No names will be mentioned!! 1.5 years in Real Estate, and I get my first referral - the referral company gets 35%, but I'm glad to pay it for the biz. Air Force guy, moving to town.  Took him and his wife around, and they found a new home to build.  Next ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/07/27/my-worst-customer-part-1/ Fact is, I have no idea what they're worth, and neither do you. We don't know, because on 21-23% of the listings in the MLS have virtual tours (according to my study anyway).  And those that have tours, some of the photos are SO bad, you can't really tell much about ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/07/27/what-is-a-virtual-tour-worth/ MSN announced just last week that a study by Sperling's Best places said Wichita Kansas is the best place to own a home in the US.  Good employment, low average cost of home, good appreciation. #1 in the US, I think Dallas was 4th or 5th.  We should be riding high ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/07/14/good-real-estate-market-bad-mortgage-times/ I've done things well.  Page 1 on Google for 12 terms or so.  Lots of traffic, and 9% capture of email.  Set them up on a drip, and 50% or so open the drips. I have new listings sent to buyers.  Works well, and lots of them open the email with ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/07/14/my-website-works-really-well-sorta/ The cities to pick from had to have a population of at least 500,000.  The idea was to compare where it was the BEST place to OWN or to Rent.  Wichita won the top spot.  Consider: Pretty good numbers (appreciation is GREAT for most parts of the country).  Compared to #2's ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/07/14/spurlings-names-wichita-1/ Article in the Wichita Eagle on Saturday discussed how Home Values had risen 2.59% over the last year.  I had a problem with this quote: (the Realtor quoted)"credited a concerted effort from the local housing industry to control new and existing inventories"  is the reason our homes were still appreciating.  How did ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/05/26/the-housing-crisis-is-over/ I was reminded recently of the late 80's when I worked for a man I admire, George Wayman.  George owned an auto repair shop and a gas station.  Big places.  Full service gas, 12 mechanics, parts supply, and more.  George was worth a pretty good amount of money, and employed ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/05/23/the-front-four-make-your-client-feel-lucky/ I've been pretty good at sales.  I didn't set the world on fire, but year 2 in Real Estate I closed 28 homes.  No assistants, no real clerical help.  I became a broker shortly after that, and I think I closed 35 or so homes in a year.  Good numbers, ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/05/23/52-and-still-learning-how-to-close-a-sale/ So often, we hear the horror story of Insurance companies, Mortgage companies, troubles the consumer has.  GUESS WHAT?  We're consumers TOO. We've had a rough 3 years.  Brother in law had 5 major surgeries, and we're next of kin.  No insurance/wife/job.  Wife had 2 surgeries, pneumonia 3 months ago.  We've had ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/05/23/an-insurance-company-with-a-heart/ I'm teaching a class on Postlets in about a week.  I think it's a good and simple system for Realtors to use, UNTIL TODAY.   Yes, I've heard of RealBird before.  iHomefinder uses them as a choice for mapping, But I've never really looked into them.  I say an ActiveRain blog today ... http://whyrealtyworld.com/blog/2008/02/24/realbird-shameless-plug/