Week in Review: Things We Liked from the Week That Was

Posted on 27. Aug, 2010 by Sherry Chris.

The midterm election season is officially underway with many states holding their primaries – some of them out-and-out nail biters. No matter which side of the aisle you fall, elections are certainly an interesting spectator sport as the candidates pull out their boxing gloves. In a standoff of another kind, sometimes the relationship between agent [...]

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Are Location-Based Services in Real Estate All Hype or The Next Big Thing? (Part 1)

Posted on 23. Aug, 2010 by Josh Ferris.

Location-based services are what’s hot in social networking right now and for good reason. By using a simple app on your smartphone you can share where you are and what you’re up to with others in your network (updates can be automatically sent to your Facebook and Twitter accounts) which fosters more frequent communication and [...]

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Week in Review: Things We Liked from the Week That Was

Posted on 20. Aug, 2010 by Sherry Chris.

Some slowdowns are good.  DJ Shamantis created an internet hit this week with “U Smile 800 Percent Slower.” A rendition of pop star Justin Bieber’s hit played eight times slower. Give it a full listen if you have 35 minutes to spare. What is speeding up:  The rate of new mortgage applications, quickening 13 percent [...]

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Week in Review: Things We Liked from the Week That Was

Posted on 13. Aug, 2010 by Sherry Chris.

Social media’s power in capturing the public’s imagination was in full display again this week when a Jet Blue flight attendant quit his job after he “hurled obscenities at passengers over the airliner’s PA system, then deployed the inflatable emergency chute, slid down and fled.”  He instantly became an Internet sensation, spawning a Facebook page [...]

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Week in Review: Things We Liked from the Week That Was

Posted on 02. Jul, 2010 by Sherry Chris.

As Hurricane Alex swirled around the Gulf producing ten-foot waves and 25 mph winds, 180,000 homebuyers got a lifebuoy that will save them from what could have been a perfect storm of their own.  These homebuyers, who signed a purchase agreement by April 30, were likely going to miss the June 30th deadline to complete [...]

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Tax Credit Extension or Not

Posted on 28. Jun, 2010 by Wendy Forsythe.

We prospect diligently to find qualified buyers. We work with them tireless to find the perfect home. We negotiate expertly on their behalf to get an accepted offer. But then the real work begins these days. As we try to hold it all together and actually get to a successful closing. NAR estimates that as [...]

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What’s in Your Toolbox?

Posted on 15. Jun, 2010 by Paulette Costa.

Several years ago I was asked to participate in a Habitat for Humanity project. It was a day when only women were to work on a home that was being built for a single mother in Hartford, CT, and I was proud to participate.

I participated with several agents from my office and upon arrival we were met by the local builder who provided each of us with a carpenter’s apron, a hammer, nails, a tape measure and our assignments. Mine was to hammer floor boards. The builder barked out instructions, demonstrated with a few swings of his hammer and left me to my work which I took on with feverish excitement.

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Got Attitude?

Posted on 08. Jun, 2010 by Rick Gregory.

Economic forecasts are an interesting thing to consider.  Exactly 3 weeks ago, I read several forecasts that stated that the market was indeed recovering and that the total annualized home sales volume was going to exceed approximately 5.7 million units.  Today, I’ve read that May was down 25 – 30% in some markets and that, [...]

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The REport

Posted on 08. Jun, 2010 by Sherry Chris.

Google is yet again making our lives easier. Now, you don’t have to search for iPhone or Android apps of interest, as they will be pushed to you based on your searches. Interesting! In other search news, check out CityGrid Media, a company resulting from the merging of Citysearch, Insider Pages and Urbanspoon. Not only [...]

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Week in Review: Things We Liked from the Week That Was

Posted on 04. Jun, 2010 by Sherry Chris.

The government has played a large role in housing recovery. This week, the real-estate lobby asked Congress to extend the amount of time that potential home buyers have to complete transactions that qualify for tax credit (but, just in case this does not go through, look at these tips for hurrying the process along). Also, [...]

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Week in Review: Things We Liked from the Week That Was

Posted on 28. May, 2010 by Sherry Chris.

With Memorial Day this weekend, the perfect storm is setting in for the summer home buying season. Riding the tails of a 7.6% increase in sales of existing homes in April, agents need to take advantage of the season and help sellers spruce up their outdoor areas and to communicate with buyers on what an [...]

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