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December 12, 2007

Unchained for Christmas: Get yourself a limited-issue BloodhoundBlog Unchained cloisonne lapel pin and let the world hear your howl

by

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

Author website

Like this:

I had cloisonne lapel pins custom-made to celebrate the forthcoming BloodhoundBlog Unchained real estate marketing conference. I made a total of 35 pins, 31 of which are being distributed to BloodhoundBlog contributors.

I have four of these lapel pins left. I’m offering them for sale, one at a time, on Ebay. If they bring a decent price, Odysseus Claus can spread a little Christmas joy — possibly drool-dampened — a welcome delight.

This is a very small fish in a very small pond, and the market value of these lapel pins, for now at least, is purely emotional or sentimental. But there are no more of these to be had, nor will there ever be any others. If you want one, these auctions are the only way you can obtain one.

The photo was taken in yellowish light. The artwork is white against a gold metal mount. It’s reduced from the BloodhoundBlog Unchained promotional graphic:

Size is approximately 1″ x 3/4″. All of the pins are new in poly-bags. No returns, of course, but I’ll pay the shipping.

These are the auctions and deadlines:

I can think of a number of fun places to wear a pin like this — which is why I had them made. If you’ve been wanting to tell the world where you stand on real estate issues, I’ll bet you can, too…

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December 12, 2007

They Were Wrong About The Bubble And They’re Wrong About This, Too

by

Mortgage Planner

Author website

In 2002, Business Week talked about “Real Estate’s Bubble Cities“.

Barron’s said it’s a better time to be “a seller rather than a buyer”.

But, 2002 wasn’t the bursting of a bubble. Prices didn’t start to fall until three years had passed from those piece’s respective publication dates. And when they did, prices fell for reasons not even named in the articles.

Being right isn’t what earns a person credibility — it’s about being right at the right time and for the right reasons.

December 12, 2007

We’re All Sub-Prime Borrowers (Who Consume Oil)

by

Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL

Author website

Residential lending is in a pretty tough spot. Mounting losses, from former white-picket fence owners, are putting a dent in the country club sets’ wallets. The problem is not unlike the one we faced 20 years ago; bankers turned into riverboat gamblers.

That’s all changed. Today, sobriety is the buzzword in residential lending as the conduit lenders act as if borrowers were trying to pry the money for a home loan out of their children’s piggy bank. If it weren’t so serious it would be comical.

The bankers think that every American is a sub-prime borrower. Until they can reach a consensus on an economic model, Wall Street securitizers will drive this culture of paranoia into the hearts of the newest of mortgage company employees.

Who will save us from this madness? The oil merchants, of course. It’s in their best interest to jump start the little economic engines we call “our neighbors”. If the old lending model was based upon undervalued real estate, the new one will be based upon the nature of the little pink house owners, to buy pimped-out Sherman tanks for their driveways. As long as the American consumer can continue to expand his consumption of gasoline, the oil merchants will finance our homes.

Mark my words, the oil barons will be the new round of fresh residential lending capital. It makes perfect business sense. If your key account is slowing down the orders, give them a little credit to get the through the tough times. That’s EXACTLY what the sheiks will do and they’ll make a killing doing it.

The average American is NOT a sub-prime borrower. Hell, even the sub-prime borrowers aren’t really sub-prime borrowers. Americans really are honorable and most believe in a brighter future. As long as we continue to put men on the moon, develop new communication technologies, and cure otherwise incurable diseases, Americans are the best long-term bet in the world. Debt is an affirmation of that belief. Our biggest vendors believe in us because without us, Read more

December 11, 2007

Unchained melodies: Mohammed’s radio

by

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

Author website

Warren Zevon’s Mohammed’s radio for Russell Shaw, recovering pirate broadcaster:

Patty Loveless has one of the richest high lonesome voices in newgrass. This video, You’ll never leave Harlan alive, is all but nothing visually, but that’s really not a defect: The sound is so rich that just about anything would get in its way. This is very nice exposition of people who are chained everywhere they look.

To close, Enid, because there’s never enough BNL:


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December 11, 2007

Is the Goal is to Have a Big Team?

by

Mega-Producing Realtor

Author website

“My goal is to have a big team”. I actually had a Realtor say exactly that to me. Why? Is there some special reason someone, who wasn’t deranged, would have the goal of having a big overhead and loads of people to manage and be responsible for and to? Is it possible that a sane and rational person would ever have such a goal? The answer is, yes, if they are stupid enough. He was, too. One of the lowest responsibility, most intellectually lazy people I’ve ever known. He later, as part of his program to build a large team opened his own office and after being open for business about 90 days sent me an email asking the name of a good book on how to recruit agents. He discovered that agents weren’t lining up to come to work for his little shoestring operation and then thought he might want to learn a little about that. If it wasn’t too much trouble, of course. He never did. He then shut that down and went back to being an agent with someone to help him with buyers. He is still working on “having a big team”.

Please understand I am not against someone (say for example, me) having a large team. No no. It is just that isn’t the goal. No good reason for anyone to have that for a goal.

The goal is (or at least should be) something along the lines of I want more money after all expenses and I want more free time. Having a team (other personal) teamworkcan help to make that possible. Most real estate “teams” are
not teams at all. More a group of people all sort of working together in the same building. They may have a helpful attitude towards each other and be quite happy when they see each other but that doesn’t make them a team. I get asked often by other agents who “have a team if my buyer agents are allowed to list property (no, never) or if my listers are allowed to work a buyer (almost never). They are usually surprised, Read more

December 10, 2007

Unchained melodies: “Gotta find me a future, move out of my way”

by

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

Author website

Jay Thompson’s pick, Queen doing I want it all:

Adventure seeker on an empty street,
Just an alley creeper, light on his feet
A young fighter screaming, with no time for doubt
With the pain and anger can’t see a way out,
It ain’t much I’m asking, I heard him say,
Gotta find me a future, move out of my way,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now.

Listen all you people, come gather round
I gotta get me a game plan, gotta shake you to the ground
Just give me what I know is mine,
People do you hear me, just give me the sign,
It ain’t much I’m asking, if you want the truth
Here’s to the future for the dreams of youth,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now.

I’m a man with a one track mind,
So much to do in one life time (people do you hear me)
Not a man for compromise and where’s and why’s and living lies
So I’m living it all, yes I’m living it all,
And I’m giving it all, and I’m giving it all,
It ain’t much I’m asking, if you want the truth,
Here’s to the future, hear the cry of youth,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now.

Next is Bruce Cockburn’s Lovers in a dangerous time covered by Barenaked Ladies: Brutal winter, a cover that’s better than the original and the extreme liberation of that stand-up bass.

To finish the day, we have to rank on the mainstream media: REM and LL Cool J KRS-One with Radio song. “Now our children grow up prisoners/all their lives, radio listeners!”


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December 10, 2007

The Odysseus Medal: “Something is going on up in Saskatoon…”

by

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

Author website

I love this thing that we’re doing — the Web 2.0 thing, the social media thing, but especially the weblogging thing. The world is awash in expertise, and we have wasted ten millennia, at least, trying to effect our concentration, our innovation, through filters — would-be gatekeepers on the human mind. The smartest of the bunch of them have torn down their gates and used the iron to build bridges. The rest stoutly defend what’s left of their ravaged redoubts in a world increasingly devoid of walls. How stupid is that?

Witness:

I swear to god these dinks think their value comes from wearing Oxford shirts or trading secret fraternity handshakes.

Here’s a sniggling little clue: If you know something worth knowing and you can communicate it in a timely and useful fashion, you’re our friend. If you decide to sneer your way into our hearts and minds, things might not work out as you’ve planned.

In fact, there is work that professional journalists can do that we cannot do as well for ourselves. But if they’re not willing to actually do that work, then what good are they?

Take careful note: Jay Thompson has been all over the management crisis at Point2 Agent. Since Friday, he has been the nexus of communications on the subject, reporting what he could discover and eliciting amazing anonymous comments from surviving Point2 employees. If you read Jay’s posts and the comments threads, you’ll be more richly informed than you could ever be by a news account.

How much more richly informed? At least 100%, since there haven’t been any news accounts about the Point2 diaspora. Where are the supposed “professionals”? Polishing their pince nez and Read more

December 10, 2007

Marketing Firms — Any Chance of Ever Hitting Above the Mendoza Line?

by

Real Estate Investments Broker

Author website

First, for those of you now wondering what the heck the Medoza Line is, here’s the short version.

I come from the Mario Mendoza school, not Minnie Mendoza, as Mario was actually a major leaguer for nine years. Anyway, all it refers to is Mendoza’s consistently inept performance at the plate. His career batting average was a miniscule .215 — which included the year that produced The Mendoza Line — 1979 — in which he hit .198. Using sports hyperbole, Greg Swan could hit .198 — and I’m not positive he knows which end of the bat to hold. 🙂

Seth Godin wrote a piece Sunday morning letting the cat out of the bag.

Marketing people worship at the altar of The Mendoza Line.

Quoting Seth:

Marketers have lots of ‘bullets’ and they don’t notice the ones they miss (I usually miss 99.5% of the time online, and more than 99.999% of the time selling books). We just reload and blithely continue on.

Surely, he’s being overly modest — yet, even discounting his humility, he speaks basic truth.

Yep, that’s my experience with marketers. They aspire to the Mendoza Line.

My opinion of most marketing people is about the same as it is for most real estate agents or mortgage brokers — most of them couldn’t find their asses with both hands, a map, two helpers, and a GPS.

Yet, hypocritically, I’m using two of ’em to make my point. Guys like Seth and Richard Riccelli, stick out like sore thumbs because in my opinion, they actually produce results. Go figure.

Let’s pause here to be clear and forthright about my understanding of marketing.

My definition: It’s their job to generate more chances for their client to succeed. Put another way — if their ideas work, the agent/client finds himself in front of far more prospects. In baseball-ese, those are at-bats. The agent who gets 20 more opportunities a month, and hits at The Mendoza Line, makes a ton more money each year.

That’s how I define marketing.

Let’s quantify those additional 20 opportunities in today’s terms. If your market’s median home price is $200,000 and Read more

December 9, 2007

Unchained melodies: Makin’ whoopee

by

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

Author website

I was going to rank on the mainstream media, but I’ll save that for tomorrow. This is more Michelle Pfeiffer, singing Makin’ whoopee from The Fabulous Baker Boys.

Another bride, another June
Another sunny honeymoon
Another season, another reason
For makin’ whoopee

A lot of shoes, a lot of rice
The groom is nervous, he answers twice
It’s so killin’ that he’s so willin’
To make whoopee

Picture a little love nest
Down where the roses cling
Picture the same sweet love nest
See what a year can bring

He’s washing dishes and baby clothes
He’s so ambitious, he even sews
But don’t forget, folks, thats what you get, folks
For makin’ whoopee

Another year, or maybe less
What’s this I hear? Well can’t you guess?
She feels neglected and he’s suspected
Of makin’ whoopee

She sits alone most every night
He doesn’t phone, he doesn’t write
He says he’s busy, but she says “Is he
Out makin’ whoopee?”

He doesn’t make much money
Only five thousand per
And some judge who thinks he’s funny
Says he’s paying six to her

He says, “Now, judge, suppose I fail?”
The judge says, “Son, right into jail
You might just keep her, I’d say it’s cheaper
Than makin’ whoopee”

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December 9, 2007

The Odysseus Medal competition — Voting for the People’s Choice Award is open

by

Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

Author website

Fifteen nominees this week, mostly about big ideas. Vote for the People’s Choice Award here. You can use the voting interface to see each nominated post, so comparison is easy.

Voting runs through to 12 Noon MST Monday. I’ll announce the winners of this week’s awards soon thereafter.

Here is this week’s short-list of Odysseus Medal nominees:

< ?PHP $AltEntries = array ( "Jay Thompson -- Point2 Is Something Shaking at Point2 Agent?”,
“Michael Wurzer — MLS access The Nail In The Coffin?“,
“Kevin Boer — Real estate disclosures How Silly Real Estate Disclosures Get Created“,
“Wade Young — Sex sells Sex sells: how I use it to sell mortgages“,
“Bonnie Erickson — Let it snow! Snow in St. Paul“,
“Dan Melson — Buying unrepresented Buying Without An Agent – My Own Experience“,
“Kris Berg — December heroes December Heroes“,
“Diane Cipa — Title fees The consumer should pay the abstractor and/or notary signing agent when the transaction doesn’t close“,
“Alex Stenback — Foreclosure causes It Ain’t the ARM’s: What Really Causes Foreclosures“,
“Brian Boero — On-line farming Let’s call it Zulia“,
“Kris Berg — Niche marketing Niche Marketing – What a concept!“,
“Russell Shaw — Success More On Success“,
“Cathleen Collins — Social media Noodlin’ around with Social Media“,
“Eric Blackwell — SMM search Are Bloggers and Social Media getting too much credit in Search Engines?“,
“Brian Brady — Happy homeowners Happy Homeowners Act of 2008”
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    Deadline for next week’s competition is Sunday at 12 Noon MST. You can nominate your own weblog entry or any post you admire here.

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    • December 8, 2007

    Unchained melodies: Unchained impulses

    by

    Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

    Author website

    This one is from Brad Coy, who wanted to tip his hat to pseudonymous commenter Joe Strummer with a Joe Strummer cover of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song.

    If I have a favorite Clash tune it’s This is Radio Clash, simply because I like the idea of a pirate satellite. As with pirate radio, the actual capital outlay per independent broadcaster (or publisher) turned out to be much smaller. Ecce sum vivens in saecula saeculorum et habeo claves mortis et inferni. Take that, Dan Rather!

    But: Don’t let’s forget that these are the same knuckleheads who brought us Sandanista, so we should close with a more rational kind of psychotic violence, Coolio’s Gangster’s Paradise.

    Not all rap sucks, and I’ll watch Michelle Pfeiffer in anything.

    You say you want a revolution? What does it sound like?

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    December 8, 2007

    Happy Homeowners Act of 2008

    by

    Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
    Structured Debt and Equity
    Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL

    Author website

    I’m thinking of getting into politics. I’ve been watching testimonies, from both sides of the aisle, about the credit crunch and impending doom of mass foreclosures. I figured out the problem:

    The housing prices were too damned high.

    Now, my stance, to this point, has been pretty clear; let the market act as markets do, with commensurate consequences to each and every market participant. Lenders and borrowers lose. Lenders lose money, and borrowers lose the freedom to buy another home, with the use of a mortgage, for a period of 4-6 years. (remember that statement)

    As I’ve said, I’m thinking of getting into politics so that straight talk and libertarian approach is somewhat unacceptable in the vote-seeking game. I think I need to find a solution that will put me in a picture, alongside Hillary, Arlen, Barney, and Hank. My solution may also fire a shot across the bow of our economic enemy, China; that’s just a bonus for the cold warriors among us.

    The Happy Homeowners Act of 2008 understands that foreclosures are far reaching in their devastating effect. They leave homes vacant in neighborhoods, they attack the esteem and morale of the borrowing family, and what is often left unsaid, they whack the investors’ principal. Talking heads have said that the homeowners just want to live in peace and harmony, in their slice of the American Pie. So… here’s my proposal:

    Mark to the Market or yell “do over”. We’re all in this together, right?

    1- Homeowners overpaid for their homes. Those homes are worth some 20% less than what they paid for them. The investors will take a loss of 20% (or more) should they proceed with foreclosure…so…just take the loss today. Reset the loans to a loan amount the borrower really can afford.

    2- Investors will lose money but can recoup some of those costs from the market participants that profited. Real estate brokerages, mortgage brokerages, originating lenders, servicers, Wall Street securitizers, appraisers, home inspectors, stagers, and everyone who made a dime off the transactions during the “excessive period” Read more

    December 8, 2007

    Web site demonstrates how much goes into staging a home for sale

    by

    Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

    Author website

    This is my column this week from the Arizona Republic (permanent link):

     
    Web site demonstrates how much goes into staging a home for sale

    Week after week, I hammer away on the idea that the only homes that will sell in our current market are the ones that are priced right, prepared right and presented right.

    But here’s an unwelcome fact about the real estate market: Home-sellers can be bull-headed. I don’t know how many times I’ve had sellers tell me all about what is wrong with the other houses for sale in their neighborhood.

    My answer? I agree. But we’re not talking about those houses. We’re talking about what it will take to sell the sellers’ house.

    And that’s when I get to hear about all the improvements the sellers have made — some of which are actually worth what they think they’re worth.

    But what I really want is for my sellers to look at their own home with the same critical eye they bring to the neighbors’ homes. It’s motes and beams, surely, but seeing your home through a buyer’s eyes is a very instructive exercise.

    It’s fun for me, because one of the things I tell sellers is, “You know what’s wrong with this house. You know exactly what you would frown over — or your mother-in-law would frown over — if you were seeing this home for the first time. Those are the issues we need to address before we can try to sell this house.”

    This is the threshold of staging, which entails a lot more, in most cases, than laying out a few decorator items. A home that is prepared for sale is in complete turn-key condition, with no obvious defects left uncorrected.

    One of our listings in North Central Phoenix just sold. We made a before-and-after record of the staging process, so you can see what we’re aiming for. You can view this demonstration by clicking here.

    Staging is all the rage right now, and preparation is only one part of a sound marketing plan. But staging is a wasted effort if the home is dirty or in palpable disrepair. Our slide show Read more

    December 8, 2007

    Want to bribe your way to the top of the Google rankings?

    by

    Suburban Phoenix Real Estate Broker

    Author website

    If you read biographies of great filmmakers, you’ll find they all started out like this: Pulling goofy impromptu stunts and committing them to film. Here are the boys from Reachd.com, Vancouver SEO mechanics, trying to bribe Matt Cutts for a page one ranking:

    Reachd actually made more than a dozen serious films during their time at PubCon. You can find those by clicking here.

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    Welcome to BloodhoundBlog, the national real estate industry marketing and technology weblog written by, for and about real estate professionals. Better yet, welcome to the wired world of real estate. We are busily inventing Real Estate 2.0 – technology, marketing, service and salesmanship. Like all Bloodhounds, we are smart, frisky and fiercely independent. We've built a spot on the earth – beloved over all – where each one of us can be who we are, no matter who that might be. We are committed to an idea of excellence that will flush the bums, the con-men and the crybabies out of the real estate industry. If you yearn to have your failures excused, your moral lapses absolved or your boo-boos kissed, seek elsewhere. But if you are sick to death of mediocrity – welcome home. Read all about us, subscribe to our feed and steel yourself for the hunt. We work hard, we play hard, we learn everything we can – and we bow to no one.

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