I sat on a similar panel last fall in San Francisco and am privileged and honored to speak again.The panel is titled “Blogging, a Fresh Take on Client Prospecting” with Pat Kitano, Johnathan Butler and Frances Flynn Thorsen. The best part of going to Inman is the chance to connect and reconnect with others in the real estate world.My secret for “getting clients” through blogging?… Be consistent, honest, transparent and provide the best local real estate information…. Is there anything in particular that would cause you to contact a Realtor because of his or her blog?
Browsing Category Shameless Self Promotion
Appearance on local TV in Charlottesville
Channel 29 did a not-so-terrible story today on the local housing market. Even better, they shot my interview at a house I am marketing.The creaky sign at the beginning was classically ominous. (I wish I could embed the video)What will the shift do to real estate consumers’ psychology?No Better Science than you’ll find in VegasAnd no, I’m not going to say that we’re in “trouble;” here’s why.*If you’re a mac user, you need to download this video player. And change the user agent in Safari to say you use Internet Explorer.** This is the second time this year that I’ve been able to market a property via the local news.
The HooK’s recap of 2007
Looking over her predictions of 2007, Madam Hook notes:”I see young people in houses,” mused the Madam, explaining that the once red-hot housing market would stay cool, with median home prices remaining stable for the first time in years, and making it a good time for first-time homeownership.Did she say the market will “stay cool”? It actually seems downright frosty these days, what with a nearly nine-month supply of houses for sale and average days on the market lingering at over 90 days. Still, who are we to argue with a psychic?
A big day
Honored and humbled to be sharing the stage/platform with the rest of the Bloodhound writers.This blog has long focused on the Charlottesville/Central Virginia real estate market, client representation, technology and the implementation of same in the real estate world and local politics that pertain to real estate.I welcome the opportunity to expand my reach further.Hugh Macleod has a pertinent post today in which he states:If I have noticed one thing to happen in the world of work these last twenty years, it is the massive blurring of the lines that separate work you get paid for, and work you do for free. These days, it’s not uncommon to meet people who work 30-50% of the time for free, especially among the bloggers.I write because I enjoy writing. Writing provides an outlet and a forum for some of my passions – real estate, politics, education. What price could one set on fulfillment?I hope to live up to the expectations set upon me by myself, Greg and everybody at Bloodhound.One thing is certain – my writing will, by necessity and fear of failing on a much grander scale, improve.I look forward to the opportunity.
The Carnival and the Odysseus medal come to Charlottesville
And Charlottesville was represented well. We might not be the epicenter of real estate blogging, but to win the Carnival of Real Estate and the Odysseus Medal in the same week – wow.Daniel’s Carnival winning post on social media and mine on the Wharton School of Business’ ignorance of Buyer-Brokerage.I am humbled and honored to have been among the 12 finalists.
Buying and Selling Real Estate in Central Virginia
That’s the title of Sunday’s “The Wake-up Call with Rick Moore” on WNRN.One of the beauties of writing a real estate blog (or any blog, for that matter) is the ability to react, expand on conversations and provide context – in this case, yesterday’s show on WNRN, Buying and Selling Real Estate in Central Virginia…. Time certainly flies in radio, and the host did a great job of managing the conversation.From CvillePodcast:This week on the Sunday Morning Wake-Up Call with Rick Moore, two guests from the real estate industry talk about tips and myths of the business, and deal with the recent accusations by the NAACP that Charlottesville has a racial bias in lending rates…. If you think that today’s interest rates are high – get some perspective.3) Much more careful analysis is required in today’s market – smart purchases can absolutely be found, but finding those takes more analysis, negotiation and experience.4) On the subprime market and the NAACP’s suit, note this one disclaimer from the NCRC’s study (PDF):The disparities discussed in this report reflect a number of factors including income, wealth, credit rating, and many others…. The disparities in this report do not necessarily reveal levels of discrimination in the marketplace; but they do reveal the presence of ongoing barriers associated with socioeconomic factors.There are problems (as noted when the story first broke), but to attribute them entirely to race is irresponsible.Doing radio is fun, having the opportunity to followup is crucial.Some of the issues we touched on:Excellent story on the NCRC’s/NAACP’s lawsuitPiedmont Housing AllianceCompass Home Loans/Matt HodgesHow to protect your home equity in a falling marketMarket Statistics section of this blogLimits on Fannie/Freddie could be lifted next yearI’m actually a Realtor with Century 21 Manley Associates, not “Jim Duncan realty” :)This article is directed primarily at the anonymous caller:One source of difficulty arises from a basic fact of real estate economics: about half of home purchases are by people moving within a metropolitan area.
The Fall Newsletter
I am doing the The Fall Newsletter a little bit differently this quarter. Rather than write more content, I linked to a page on my website with the below stories from RealCentralVA.com over the past few weeks and months.Market Statistics for the Charlottesville RegionHousing Appreciation in the Charlottesville regionHow to differentiate your home from the competitionWhat will the market shift do to real estate consumers’ psychology?There are no little dealsBuilder incentives in the Charlottesville area real estate marketJuly’s Housing Numbers for the Charlottesville regionSome of the factors impacting the Charlottesville real estate marketWhat if I see something the inspector doesn’t see?