There is an almost-legendary story in my office of a client who walked in on Christmas Eve (New Year’s Eve?) many years ago dressed in raggedly-looking clothes who wanted to see a property or two. Despite the client’s not looking like he could afford to look at even one $50k property, the agent on duty (we’re open 7 days a week) sized him up, showed him the properties and, as legend has it, eventually sold him over one million dollars’ worth of real estate. Yesterday, dressed in jeans, boots and a fleece, I was looking at some shoes in Nordstrom in Short Pump. I was killing time waiting for my wife and was unsure as to whether I should buy them (or try them on without the wife’s approval). I was talking to the salesman and commenting on the quality of the leather, the sole, etc. They happened to be fairly expensive … the gentleman “helping” me nonchalantly took the shoe out of my hands with the comment of “well, they are quite nice, but they are quite expensive too, you really get what you pay for …”… or one who may want to purchase a $150k condo, move up in five years, then again in seven, all the while referring their friends and colleagues to me …
Browsing Category Off-topic
Toy Lift needs Emergency Help!
This from an email I just received from CAAR:REALTOR® Beth Powell and her husband Tom (Mr. Toy Lift) Powell have an urgent need for the community’s assistance. This week, three major sponsors backed out of their support (I certainly hope they have good reason! -jd) for the annual Toy Lift Project. That means that this wonderful community charity will be short about $15,000 that was going to be used to buy 300 bicycles for needy children in our community. They have a special agreement with WalMart each year to purchase these bikes at a greatly reduced price, but now, they are significantly short of funds. If you can help, please make a tax deductible donation to Kid’s Lift Foundation. You can drop off your check to the foundation at CAAR, to Tom Powell at Quick Lane behind Colonial Auto Center or Beth at Frank Hardy Inc. If you have questions, please call Beth Powell at 434-817-0631 or 434-975-TOYS.Please help.
Toy Lift 2005
This year’s Toy Lift is well under way. (It never really stops; coordinating this type of charity is a never-ending process).My wife and I have volunteered for this for the past couple of years – it truly is a worth-while cause and I encourage any and all to donate. Even one toy can make a kid’s Christmas morning better. From AlbemarleKids’ page (they wrote it better than I):Toy Lift is the signature event of the Kids Lift Foundation. Toy Lift began in 1989 when founder Tom Powell decided to perch himself eighty feet up in a bucket truck until people donated 1,000 toys, which he then distributed to local children. Toy Lift has grown into a huge annual community event with festival activities, entertainment, and raising over 18,000 toys. Lowe’s Parking Lot or at Lake Monticello in front of Back 2 Health…. For more info call: 975-TOYS.
Bonefish Grill coming to Charlottesville
dinner for two a $45 value; email me your name, snail mail and email.
Negotiating tips
How to tell is someone is lying. Useful to determining Buyers’ intentions, opposing agents’ intentions, or general day-to-day living.
My own personal spam.
I am senior manager with the(S.S.B BANK Plc), Accra Ghana I came to know of you in my private search for a reliable and a reputable person to handle this confidential transaction,which involves maximum confidence.PROPOSITION: A foreigner, Late engineer Jacques Monroe, an oil merchant/contractor with the Government of Ghana, until his death in a ghastly aircrash, banked with us here at S.S.B.BANK Plc Accra, and had a closing balance as at the end of march, 2002 worth USD$23.5 million (Twenty threemillion, Five Hundred Thousand United State dollars) Which the bank now expect a next of kin to claim as beneficiary…. Jacques Monroe next of kin (he had no children that is known to us.) The management under the influence of our chairmanand member of the board of Director, that an arrangement has been made for the funds to be declared =93UNCLAIMABLE=94 and subsequently be donatedto the Trust Fund for Arms and Ammunition to further enhance the course of war in Africa and the world in general while people are suffering. There are no goodschools, no clean water and no good hospitals etc. In order to avert this negative development, some of my trusted Colleagues and I now seek your permissionto have you stand as a next of kin to the late Engr Jacques Monroe so that the funds USD$23.5million would be released and paid into your account as thebeneficiary next of kin…. Please do not take advantage of the trust we have bestowed on you, please kindly forward to me immediately your most confidentialtelephone, fax number, and particulars so that I can apply for the release and subsequent Transfer of the funds in your favor.Thanks in advance for your anticipated cooperation.Thanks,Yours faithfully,Mr.
APF, Bird Flu
Jim Bacon says:Tim Kaine has gone astray. He’s taken a populist, NIMBY-like position here. The problem in Virginia isn’t “out of control” growth, and the solution isn’t giving local governments the power to nix proposed developments that will generate negative traffic impacts. Kaine’s proposal would simply give local governments power to block projects without enouraging them to make the kinds of positive changes they need to make.APFs are good in a theoretical vacuum; in practice, they simply don’t work.Bird Flu preparations.