Diane's Blog

 Take a look at this funny boy with his brother and sister!

 I just spent 3 days back in Minnesota with my family and friends fishing and taking photographs af just about everything and anything.

 Take a look at this little guy in the photo (above) hanging onto this tree branch, and his brother in the photo (below)!

 

 

 And the photo of their sister in the photo (below), well let's just say she's holding her nose for one reason!

 I will be posting different photographs of silly creatures like the ones above, lake photographs, from sunsets to fish and from flowers to the leaves changing into fall colors!

 For anyone that enjoys taking photographs please feel free to join one of my favorite groups at Activerain.......

 EXPRESS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AT ACTIVERAIN

 Robert Swetz

 www.SearchMyPics.com

I have fond memories of the day I felt that I was truly a part of the AR community.   My A-Ha moment occured when I read Craig Schiller's blog, "Joy to the Rain", and saw this wonderful graphic.

 

 

 

I found Active Rain in August of 2006 by doing a Google search for Home Staging and was directed to Craig Schiller's blog.  I think there were only about 50 home stagers in AR at the time yet only a handful of them were actively blogging.   

Since AR predominantly consisted of Real Estate Agents, I always felt like a guest whenever I logged in.  I was not sure I would ever really belong.  But that didn't keep me from faithfully stopping by...love that Google juice....I just made sure that I minded my manners and never "rocked the boat".  

When the "groups" feature was added to AR, Stage It Forward became my hangout of choice.  It was fun getting to know stagers from around the country.  I enjoyed receiving and sharing staging tips and advice and encouraging my fellow stagers.  However, I always had a self-imposed feeling of needing to stay with my "own kind" so I was reluctant to join any other groups that would allow me to mingle with Real Estate Agents and other Industry-Related Professionals. 

But that all changed when I gazed upon Craig's masterpiece.  When I saw my face intertwined with the faces of AR Staff, Real Estate Agents, Home Stagers, Mortgage Professionals, Home Inspectors, Loan Officers, Photographers, etc., something clicked....I finally got it.....This is a Community!!!  A community of individuals who are passionate about various branches of the Real Estate Industry who have banded together to glean information, share information, encourage, comfort, uplift, challenge, praise each other and become friends and colleagues.

My search for more info on Home Staging led me to Active Rain, but the sense of Community has kept me here.

Darcy and I noticed something that reminded us that we're not living in a big city.  We drove down the Mountain from Brian Head to Parowan and this is what we saw.  The Building on the left is the Parowan Swimming Pool, the photos were taken at the Lion's Park in Parowan.

Yes there are 3 head of cattle grazing at the Parowan City Park.  Okay there are 2 cows and a calf!  This you don't see in the Big City!

 

If you're looking to buy or sell real estate in Cedar City, Utah; please give us a call.  We would love to earn your business!

Photo © Mike Hendren, 2009

SEARCH  Denver  Homes For Sale  at  www.MikeHendren.com

Many of us post blogs regularly, but do you ever go back and look to see what a prospective client will see? How does your blog look to the public?

What looks good in one platform, or on AR, or even on the AR settings page may not look good in real life.

For example, I set up my new signature in AR, and on the screen it looked perfect.

Then I clicked thru my AR profile page to my blog on AR and saw the signature did not look so hot. I then clicked on it again, this time using my dedicated unique URL (just www.ericaramus.com) and it looked even worse.

So I played around on the settings page for a while, updating and checking and re-checking for about 15 minutes till I got it just the way I wanted it.

You might also check out how your blog looks in Firefox and Chrome browsers, not just Internet Explorer. There may be some glitches there you could catch.

Bottom line is don't trust what's just on your screen, the way you see it. Look at your blog and all content from various websites/perspectives, to see what the public will see.

The AR blogs are great, but not 100% what-you-see-is-what-you get when you're composing.

Good luck!

 

 

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 

When you are walking down a sidewalk do you ever wonder who else has walked there?

Below is a photo of a sidewalk I took at the University of Virginia. These walkways were designed by Thomas Jefferson and built by his architects. There have been literally millions of feet on these walkways and many famous people.

Jefferson most likely and even people like Edgar Allen Poe (who attended the University)...

Oh yes and your Charlottesville Real Estate Agent, Charles McDonald has even walked these sidewalks!

Next time you are in a historic area, think about who may have walked where you are.

It will widen your perspective!

Charles McDonald - BIO

Brought to you by that guy who sells Charlottesville Va Real Estate

 

Of all the services that I get to provide to my clients, helping prospective home buyers "bridge the gap" between what they want in a new home or what they perceive the market will allow them to buy and what their budget and parameters will permit is one of my favorites. 

Many prospective homeowners come to me with an idea of what they want, but no idea how to achieve those dreams.  Sometimes those dreams may be slightly out of reach, but with some assistance and education about the market, they are able to reshape their dreams and make them achievable.

How could anyone not love a career where they not only help people to dream, but to help them make those dreams come true?

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If you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and are looking for a REALTOR®, call me today at (469)449-9840 to schedule a consultation.  I'd be happy to help you move forward and achieve your Real Estate dreams and goals.  Not loacted in the D/FW area?  Contact me anyway... I'd be happy to refer you to a real estate professional in your area who can help you. 

This photograph is the exclusive property of Steve Shatsky.  It may not be used or reproduced in any manner without expressed written permission from Steve Shatsky.  Copyright 2009.  All Rights Reserved.

 When is the last (time) you had to let a client go because they were wasting your (time)?

 (Business is business) and one always hates to lose a client for any reason, but sometimes you just have to let a few go.

 I have had several clients in the past that wanted me to pull listings from MLS and email them, drive them around (Time after Time) and never finding that home they really like.

 

 We always like to look at our clients with the best respect and give them the best (Customer Service) but you always get one of those (Bad Eggs) once and and a while.

 You know the kind of clients that have around 2-3 different Agents sending them listings, driving them around and just using you for information & knowledge.

 Sometimes you just have to realize their just using you and let them go, whether you might lose a sale or not. For the most part, either they won't be able to get financed in the long run or they might just be wanting to purchase some time in the future.

 So ........... When is the last (time) you had to let a client go because they were wasting your (time)?

 And yes that is a real (Rolex) in the photograph (above) that I took in The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas Nevada, and you don't even want to know how much money it cost!

 Story and photograph by Robert Swetz

 www.VegasBuildingsForSale.com

 www.SearchMyPics.com

 

Photo © Mike Hendren 2009

More information is available at my Photo Blog

SEARCH  Denver  Homes For Sale  at  www.MikeHendren.com