Make Money Selling Your Home for a Loss

	Did You Really Just Ask Me That?! Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place Brenda Mullen-ABR, e-Pro-210-807-0819Selling San Antonio TX Area Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty) Did You Really Just Ask Me That?!  Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place Ok, I am a bit confused and a tad upset about an incident, and just had to write a post about it this
	It is not often that I turn a listing down. William Feela Realtor 651-674-5999No. Branch,MN (WHISPERING PINES REALTY) I may be in the minority, but I will take most listings, even an over priced listing.  Why?  Because, many sellers need to be educated and sometimes the best way is to see the house won’t sell
	Staged to Sell, Designed to Live – Defining Staging and Redesign Kristine Ginsberg (Morris County, NJ: Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC) Staged to Sell, Designed to Live – Defining Staging and Redesign  Many people don’t exactly know what home staging and redesign is. Homes are Staged to Sell and Redesigned to live when you want to update and
	Secret ActiveRain Lists – Here is Mine, Show Us Yours! Anita Clark Realtor® Warner Robins Homes for Sale ~ Warner Robins Real Estate ~ (ColdwellBanker SSK Realtors ~ 478.960.8055) Secret ActiveRain Lists – Here is Mine, Show Us Yours! Let’s face it, the majority of Rainers have a secret ActiveRain list.
	You’re So Well Preserved For a Middle Aged Woman Carie Shapiro That’s precisely what a 20-something female neighbor I’d never met said to me recently.  She delivered the good news in between text messages as we were both lounging by the pool last summer.  At first, I turned around to see who else
	Make Money Selling Your Home for a Loss Danny Dietl Buy|Sell|Lease iMetroProperty.com (iMetroProperty.com) This has been and continues to be a very difficult market for many home owners especially those who would like to sell. There is one group of sellers who have a great opportunity to not only wipe out
	For the Love of a Community Debe Maxwell – Search Charlotte Homes for Sale – Charlotte NC Neighborhoods (iCharlotteRealEstate.com Savvy + Company Real Estate) For the Love of a Community For as long as I’ve been a member of ActiveRain, I’ve known that this community is special bu
	BankRate.com Interviewed Me – Thanks Active Rain Christine Donovan Costa Mesa CA Homes Broker/Attorney 800-610-7253DRE01267479 (Donovan Blatt Team – Donovan Group Realty) BankRate.com Interviewed Me - Thanks Active Rain Do you ever wonder about the power of the Rain?  Do you wonder if

Chasing Expired Listings and the Code of Ethics

	Is there such a thing as CoBroke Etiquette? Al and Cal Realty Group Al Mussi Carol Ann Palmieri (RE/MAX Executive Realty) Is there such a thing as  Co Broke Etiquette? A couple of events lately have got me scratching my head and wondering if I am crazy or if some of us are not using common courtesy when we
	Skipping 2 house payments Doug Walker (Security National Mortgage) Skipping a house payment is actually used occasionally as a marketing strategy for refinancing.  It is especially nice around the holidays when extra cash is always needed.  It is pretty common knowledge that a payment is not necessary the month following a new
	Success in the December Rain Kerrie Greenhalgh (ActiveRain, Community Builder) How the heck is it December already?  Somebody call up Father Time and pause life for a second!!!  It’s been a crazy week and I feel like the madness has only just begun.  Even though life gets busy
	CASE STUDY: Counter the REO bank’s counter offer. DO or DON’T? Pacita Dimacali – ePRO, SRES, CDPE, MBA Alain Pinel in Alameda County CA (Alain Pinel) CASE STUDY: Countering the bank’s counter offer on bank-owned listing First time buyer is preapproved up to $500,000 and wants to get the best possible deal, isn’t shying away from short sales and foreclosures. A bank-owned property listing
	I am going to rip your head off…. Scott Godzyk, One of Manchester NH’s Leading Brokers (Godzyk Realty Group) Yesterday i had an appointment to get a new Listing in the Manchester NH area. I showed up on time, was greeted at the door and went inside. We discussed short sales, bank owned homes and foreclosures in
	In my world, warm visits are better than cold calls! Barbara Le Pine – S & W Real Estate, Newport OR (S & W Real Estate, Newport, Oregon) I just read a blog about an agent who makes 50 cold calls in the morning….Brrrr! I applaud that agent, but I much prefer to spend my time out of the office, out in the world where I
	Calling In All Favors Now – We Need Your Help – Help Clint Miller Have A Beer With Lance Armstrong Midori Miller – Ormond Beach | Daytona Businesses And Area Information (Midori Miller @ Coastal Results Referral Company) I have shared some amazing real estate training tips and have changed many real estate agents businesses and careers.  Right here on the rain, I’ve shared, coached and given away training as if I were wealthy..its just the
	Chasing Expired Listings and the Code of Ethics Tom Branch | Broker, CDPE, SFR, ACRE | Plano TX Ambassador | 214-227-6626(RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs) I spent a couple of hours working on expired listings today. Before I mail anything I always check to see if the home has been relisted in the MLS. Why? It’s a violation of the Code of Ethics and

Are You A Customer Service Junkie

	Duck, Duck, Duck Charita Cadenhead, Accredited Consultant in Real Estate® & Property Manager (Bham WIiRE Realty LLC ) Duck, Duck, Duck Oh so you’ve never heard of this game.  Well I’m not surprised.  Up until now, people have thought that
	Santa Claus is Coming to Active Rain….New December Challenge…. Deborah Byron Leffler BzyBee Real Estate Lady! (Keller Williams Realty Boise) How has your 2011 been?   Did you reach your goals?  I can say that I did meet my goals…and even exceeded them…
	Meet the new real estate agent….same as the old agent….. Ruthmarie Hicks (Keller Williams Realty – White Plains NY) Of course this is a play on “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”  But what I am trying to address here is that many g
	NEWS FLASH . . . Closing Costs Are the Buyers’ Responsibility Carla Muss-Jacobs – Exclusive Buyers Agent Portland – Move to Portland – (503-810-7192- BuyersAgentPortland.com) It Costs MONEY to Buy a Home I hate to break it to buyers. . . but it costs money to buy a home. Long gone are the days
	How to Create a Banner For Your ActiveRain Blog Using Picnik Joni Staples, REALTOR® Broker Associate (936) 650-9017(Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate – Anderson Properties) How to Create a Banner Using Picnik (Ask and you shall receive ☺) 1. Go to www.Picnik.com and create and open your
	Are You A Customer Service Junkie? John McCormack- Owner/Broker REALTOR, e-PRO (Albuquerque Homes Realty * www.AlbuquerqueHomes.com) Sometimes in life and business we get a star for our efforts! The following are the words from a valued client, I
	Title Insurance For Real Estate Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty) Original article source: Real Estate Title Insurance When purchasing a home one of the things that buyer’s will be asked is
	CLOSING GIFTS: Good or bad idea? Pacita Dimacali – ePRO, SRES, CDPE, MBA Alain Pinel in Alameda County CA (Alain Pinel) CLOSING GIFTS: Good or bad idea?  There are opposite trains of thought on this. Don’t give! One side wonders who

Frustration of A Short Sale – Power of the Word Lawsuit

	RainCamp Online, Make 2012 Your Best Year Yet ActiveRain Corp. On Wednesday December 14th we will be hosting our 2nd RainCamp Online and we are ecstatic with the line-up and information which will be shared. Are you ready for 2012?  What do you have planned to
	MeetUps and Holiday Cheer Kerrie Greenhalgh (ActiveRain, Community Builder) It’s the most wonderful time of year!  Break out the eggnog, wear your favorite reindeer sweater and get ready for round 2 of AR MeetUps! This past September we had over 300 members gathering around the country,
	Frustration Of A Short Sale – Power of the word lawsuit Douglas Trudeau, MBA, Assoc. Broker Selling Tucson Real Estate (Tierra Antigua Realty) Not mentioning the bank by name, let’s just say it has been in the news a lot and initials are used quite frequently. I’ve been through Short Sales before. Not easy, but not this bad. Here’s the story.
	How Do You Think Your Current (and Future) Clients Might Feel About Your 80/20 Plan? Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) There was a featured blog here in the Rain a few weeks ago advising agents to devote 80% of their time prospecting for new business and 20% dealing with current business (i.e. active buyers and sellers). This isn’t
	Not Too Sexy James Quarello – Connecticut Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC) Okay I’m willing to admit that granite counter tops are way sexier than insulation or a high efficiency heating system. Almost no one shows off their new insulation or heating system. In fact I read a quote recently
	5 Rules You Must Remember When Blogging Tammy Emineth (Personal SEO – Website SEO and Real Estate Marketing) If you’re new, you are probably writing for the reader. As we go along and learn more about the SEO side we may tend to shift our thinking and write more for search engines. But just like that
	Are my blogs stealing SEO (Google juice) from each other? Mark Delgado – Benicia and Vallejo Property Management, rental homes, (houses for rent, Solano County & Glen Cove) Are my blogs stealing SEO (Google juice) from each other? Ok, I don’t consider myself qualified to carry the title of being a Blogger given that I only started this task a couple of months ago.
	Take those Photos down OR ELSE!!!!! Gay E. Rosen (Houlihan Lawrence) Oh my goodness…. I recently sold a home, and the transaction went very well…. However, now several months later, the buyer’s agent contacted me, apologizing, and mentioned that her clients are seeing the listing ‘all over the internet’

Earn your commission, Don’t defend it

	Divorcing Real Estate….A Game of “Gotcha!” Sally & David Hanson WI Realtors Luxury\Short Sale\CDPE\ABR\e-Pro\REDS (Keller Williams 414-525-0563) Divorce can present some interesting challenges in real estate….for both the Sellers and the Listing Agent(s). One of the more recent and most devastating moves in this game has been what we’ll call the “Behind Closed Doors
	2011 Business Year in Review: The Tops and the Flops Anita Clark Realtor® Warner Robins Homes for Sale ~ Warner Robins Real Estate ~ (ColdwellBanker SSK Realtors ~ 478.960.8055) 2011 Business Year in Review: The Tops and the Flops Ah yes, with just 1 more month in the 2011 business year, it’s time
	Are Real Estate Agents Going the Way of Borders? Karen Rittenhouse (All Property Solutions.com) I just finished reading “What do Realtors and Bookstore People Have in Common?” and it got me thinking. The comparison was – basically -  a Realtor adds value compared to shopping for a home online the same way
	Holiday time is also time for crime Frank Laisch (National Insurance Solutions ) Holiday time is also time for crime You may not be thinking about criminals this Christmas season, but they’re thinking about you. The holidays present big opportunities for car prowlers, purse snatchers and all other kinds of riffraff.
	Earn your commission. Don’t defend it. Bryant Tutas-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc How do you react when a Seller or Buyer asks you to give them a portion of your commission? Do you immediately get defensive? Do you start explaining how your commission is split and how many expenses you
	Today I Observed Community in Action The Phil Leng Team 206-409-6600(Keller Williams Realty) Today I Observed Community in ActionToday I Observed Community in ActionToday I had the task of overseeing the removal of all the personal items from a home that was foreclosed on a week ago.It took all day.This is
	The Way to Ensure You Stay Stupid and Uninformed is to Stop Reading the Newspaper Elizabeth Weintraub, Sacramento Short Sale Agent, Land Park, #00697006 Lyon RE (Lyon Real Estate #00697006) I read something online the other day that said the way to avoid negative crap in an agent’s life is to stop reading the newspaper. The article went on to say that newspapers only report bad news to
	5 Reasons Your Craigslist Ads Will Bomb Every Time Villegas Group, LLC Love it or hate it, using Craigslist to generate leads tends to bring out strong reactions from those Real Estate Agents who have used it. Many agents who do use it end up feeling like it is a

Scared to buy a home? Overcome the fear by taking these 6 steps!

Sellers, Do You Wish You Could Read A Buyer’s Mind? Nina Rogoff, Sharon & Canton, MA Real Estate, RE/MAX (RE/MAX Executive Realty) Sellers, Do You Wish You Could Read A Buyer’s Mind? Well, now you can! After many months of interviewing buyers, this post will provide some insight into what buyers are really thinking when … Continue reading →

Common Household Catastrophies

Many Good Wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving! Silvia Dukes PA REALTOR®, CIPS, Green — Spring Hill Florida Homes for Sale (Tropic Shores Realty – Ich spreche Deutsch!) Many Good Wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving! As I take a break these next few days, I want to pause to let everyone of you know how grateful … Continue reading →

Should I leave Facebook?

Would I Be Shooting Myself in the Foot if I “Left” Facebook? Peggy Wester Real Estate Agent Ozaukee & Washington County Real Estate (Shorewest Realtors) I think I jumped on the Facebook bandwagon probably about four years ago. A few of us at the office joined at the same time and oooh-ed and aaaaah-ed at … Continue reading →

How Much Home Can I Afford? Defining Your Personal Budget

I Know How An Inch Worm Feels Dorie Dillard Realtor® Canyon Creek NW Austin TX homes for sale (Coldwell Banker United Realtors) An inchworm moves by drawing its hind end forward while holding on with the front legs, then advancing its front section while holding on with the prologs.  This is often a slow process. … Continue reading →

How Do You Show a Home That Can’t Be Seen

How Do You Show a Home That Can’t Be Seen? Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker, Northern VA (Long & Foster REALTORS®, Gainesville, VA) How Do You Show a Home That Can’t Be Seen? There is probably nothing more frustrating for a Buyer than getting excited and revved up for a house hunting trip, only to … Continue reading →

Create Your Killer Elevator Speech Winners

Thank You for Doing My “Dirty Work”, Ms. Closer! Jennifer Prestwich Your Castle RE Colorado (Henderson, Brighton, and Thornton to Broomfield) This week has been a doozy!  Happily, it means there have been multiple closings…. The “doozy” part comes in the form of one that limped along every day and didn’t seem like it would … Continue reading →

When It’s Time to Hire an Assistant

How Do You Know When It’s Time to Hire an Assistant? Kathy Schowe~ La Quinta, California 760-333-8886(Kathy@InteroDesertCities.com) One of the toughest decisions we make as entrepreneurs and independent business people is taking the leap to hire an assistant.  Depending on where your strengths are… marketing, negotiating, neighborhood knowledge, paperwork, leasing, short-sales, networking… you may need … Continue reading →

Seller and Investor Mistakes When “Upgrading” a Home

Is it our job to make our brokers money? Sherry Scales, REALTOR – Austin TX Real Estate (HomeNet Realty)  Is it our job to make our brokers money? I am sure this will offend every broker out there….but I know I am not the only one who A New TV Won’t Fit In The Wall … Continue reading →

How to Market Your Real Estate Business

How do I market my real estate business? Melody Fulk As a real estate agent, I am totally bombarded with emails and classes of all the programs I need to sign up for and pay for to get  … CAPTCHA – Stanford University Researchers have Broken the Code – Will CAPTCHA be History? Fred Griffin … Continue reading →

The House Was Almost Ready to Go, But the Seller Wasn’t

Rich Real Estate Agent, Poor Real Estate Agent ActiveRain Corp. What separates Rich Real Estate Agents from Poor Real Estate Agents? Are men better real estate agents than women? Does age or experience matter? Do top real estate agents use Trulia or A Shout Out to Activerain Clout – A short sale rant – changes … Continue reading →

Definition of Hard Work for a Real Estate Agent

Definition of Hard Work for a Real Estate Agent Neil Schwartz (Century 21 Masters) As a broker and coach for one of the most successful real estate offices in one of the largest markets, I have encountered almost every type of real … Being A Sponsor Doesn’t Entitle You To My Business Card! Greg Nino … Continue reading →

It’s Not What You Say That Matters, It’s What You Do

You’re Reputation is Only as Good as The WORST Thing You’ve Ever Done Howard and Susan Meyers (The Hudson Company Winnetka and North Shore) You’re Reputation is Only as Good as The WORST Thing You’ve Ever Done Yes, let me repeat that…You’re reputation is only as good as the WORST thing. It’s Not What You … Continue reading →

Don’t Let the Bank Ignore You

Don’t Let the Bank Ignore You! Mike Cooper, Real Estate Agent-Broker, Winchester,VA (Cornerstone Business Group, Inc.) If you’ve ever listed and sold a short sale you know that it can be like trying to catch an eel in a barrel of snot.  Slippery.  OK, that was gross, but short  … 8510 Reasons To Have an … Continue reading →

First Time Buyers Moving Away From Short Sales

I Made a Mistake….. And I admit it! Amy Hahn, REALTOR, Crystal Coast, NC (Pine Knoll Shores Realty) I Made a Mistake….. And I admit it! I know there are a few of you out there who NEVER make a mistake!  I’m sorry!  I have learned so much throughout Electrical problems? I’d say so. Clint … Continue reading →

FREE SEO Opportunity That Most Real Estate Pros Are Overlooking

FREE SEO Opportunity That Most Real Estate Pros Are Overlooking Mark Boyd (MarQeteer) We SEO geeks have a saying:  ”Content is King, Linking is Queen.”The gist of this is that before you focus on driving people to your website/blog and Not Everyone Qualifies for HAFA Melissa Zavala Realtor® North San Diego County Homes (Broadpoint Properties) … Continue reading →

Can the Listing Broker Specify the Lender

Why don’t you say what you really mean? Marian Goetzinger Crystal Coast Real Estate NC (Pine Knoll Shores Realty 252-422-9000) Why don’t you say what you really mean? One of the first classes I took in college was “Assertiveness for Professional Women”.  That class changed my  … Can the Listing Broker Specify the Lender? www.PhoenixAZHorseProperty.com(Marge … Continue reading →

Are Buyers waging WAR against Sellers

Are Buyers waging WAR against Sellers??? Scott Godzyk, One of New Hampshire’s Leading Brokers (Godzyk Realty Group) An owner of a home in Manchester NH called me up screaming “Why are all buyers trying to beat us up?. The converation was about if all buyers are lead ActiveRain / DocuSign Contest: Thankful for Our Free … Continue reading →

The Importance Of A Current Headshot In Retrospect

I Worked So Much, I Went Broke Terri Camp, GRI, REALTOR® DFW Homes Sales and Property Management (DFW Texas Homes, LLC) When I first began working in real estate, I would go into the office every day, often staying until 2 or 3 in the morning. Since I was new, there was a lot When … Continue reading →

Top Halloween Sweet Safety Tips

Top 10 Halloween Safety Tips Peggy Yee – Search Vienna Homes For Sale – Northern Virginia Real Estate (Stanley Ranch, LLC / Realty Direct, LLC) Top 10 Halloween Safety Tips Trick-or-treating can be one of the most fun Halloween events for your kids. However, it can also be potentially dangerous … Time again for Boo … Continue reading →

Stagers “Stage” Your Home To Sell

Do You Have the Gift of Staging? Beverly Femia – Broker Realtor® Stager – Greater Wilmington, NC Area (Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty) Do you have the gift of staging?  My question is not whether you are a certified stager but whether you have an innate gift for design.  Recently, I  … Perception is their reality. Janice … Continue reading →

COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY UNDER PRESSURE

COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY UNDER PRESSURE RE/MAX Preferred Associates By John Mangas, real estate broker “No…that’s not what you said…” And then it goes downhill from there. Misunderstandings are a natural part of the  … Detecting the Lookie Lou….some indications that your buyer is really a tire kicker…. Ruthmarie Hicks (Keller Williams Realty – White Plains NY) … Continue reading →

Lowball Offers are Wild Pitches in Real Estate Negotiations

Lowball Offers are Wild Pitches in Real Estate Negotiations Annie Holdreith (Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International/Manhasset, New York) Let’s say you are a buyer and you have found a house that meets your needs and its listing price is in your financial comfort zone.  You have reviewed  … Responding To Blogs Is Like Christmas Cards John … Continue reading →

New Landlord Rules for Single Family Rentals

Why Is It So Hard to Cut “Bad” Clients Loose? And When Should We Do It? Patricia Kennedy (Evers & Company Realtors) I used to work with a woman who did an amazing job of attracting buyers.  I mean, they seemed to be falling off her arms.  And she had this rule.  She took them … Continue reading →

What Makes Your Zip Code the Place to Live

The News Is Out | Nice Guys Don’t Win | Say What? | Rockwall Realtor Barbara Hensley, Homes for Sale, Luxury, Acreage, Waterfront, Golf Course,Ranches (RE/MAX Hometown, Rockwall, Heath, Royse City, Rowlett, Texas) Nice Guys Don’t Win was a talking point on a morning national television show today.  Say what? This morning I heard on a national … Continue reading →

Lousy Grammar Just Cost You a Sale

Sometimes You Need to Keep Your Opinions To Yourself Valerie Zinger (Royal Lepage Gale Ottawa-Ontario-Canada) Being a real estate agent is a test of discretion.  There are times when keeping opinions to yourself is the best course of action.  I am lucky to have  … Tech Update October 24, 2011: Hiring Pivotal Labs Nikesh Parekh (ActiveRain) Happy … Continue reading →

Do You Know Your Agent’s Plan For Getting Your Home Sold

Fired Before Hired: The Listing We Lost David Black (Keller Williams Realty Metro South) I guess we’ve been fired before we were hired.  About a month ago, Colleen gets a call from a man from out of state about helping him with selling a   … Do You Know Your Agent’s Plan For Getting Your Home … Continue reading →