Lawrence Kansas Real Estate

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Backup-Up-Your-Data-Why-Worry-?11977 by Lawrence Yerkes and http://activerain.com/blogsview/Virtual-Storage-Beam-it-up-Scotty-?9806 by Carl Minicucci are just a couple of good AR blogs on backing up your data files.

With it being Black Friday, there is a $50 Western Digital Passport 60GB External USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive that can be picked up at one of the major electronic stores that starts with a B.  Normally this backup unit is $100.

You plug this unit into one of your USB ports and drag and drop the files you want to back up onto the unit.  Simple as can be.

How often should you back up?  Ask yourself this question, how many days worth of new data additions to my pc am I willing to lose?  If the answer is no more than 3 days then back up every 3 days.  If you don't want to lose anything, as soon as you enter or receive something on your pc, make a backup either by emailing the file to a 2gig free mail server or to your back up device.

Don't think you need to back up your files?  Try reading:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Computer-Virus?5229 by Pam Hofmann.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/ARRRGGGHHH-sound-made-when-computer-crashes-?9077 by Rich Jacobson.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Stolen-Laptop-Computer-Bad-Lost-Data-Worse-than-Bad-?11183 by Jim Wolcott.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

I had a home inspection appointment two days ago.  Except for the occasional buyer client's questions directed to me, the buyer was spending most all of the two hour time period with the home inspector.  At times like these, it is best to have some activities lined up to do.

Without turning a deaf ear to the inspector, I pulled out my laptop and a portable bag chair and was fortunate enough to pick up a wireless internet signal.  I was able to check email and make replies.  I was able to burn some cd's.  I was able to re-size some photos for some visual tours and begin working on them.  I also had a little time to tweak and update some of my websites.

If you don't have a laptop, you can always bring other projects, listen to training tapes, or at the very least get caught up on reading a real estate magazine past issue.  Make every minute count and try to make many of them count twice!

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

I have asked about this before in a comment on a blog about designations (please see http://activerain.com/blogsview/NAR-designations-what-they-mean-and-where-to-get-some?3139 for a rather thorough list of designations and http://activerain.com/action/search/search_results?searchfields=blogs&search=designations for a list of all the AR blogs on designations).  I have searched blog keywords for designation points and not found anything.

Should we earn points for our earned designations?  I understand the AR community is not just about the points and I appreciate tremendously the huge amount of work involved in maintaining this network by Matt, Caleb, and all the others moderating and working behind the scenes.  I understand our designations are worth much more than AR points in the quality of service we provide to our clients by applying what we have learned through our coursework.

But when we can earn 25 points for writing a comment that says "Thanks for your blog" or "Great tips" and yet receive nothing for our designations, I felt this question should be asked for feedback.  My broker discounts our fees for each designation we receive and also lowers our cap on the number of transaction sides we are required to pay commission fees on (very nice broker!!).  We receive recognition by others with designations through referrals.  Why shouldn't we be rewarded within the AR community?  There was a great blog on promoting designations at http://activerain.com/blogsview/Promote-your-Designations-?13621.

So I ask, do you feel we should be rewarded with points for each post-licensing designation we earn?  Thanks again to our AR hosts and moderators for all they do for this network!!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor® (membership application for REBAC submitted and should have my ABR within a week)
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

Sometimes it is just plain inconvenient to have to return to my office with my clients to print out offers, sellers disclosures, and other documents.  Enter the world of portable printers.  While I have been seen carrying my doorstop HP Laserjet 5 printer (38 pounds) into a client's home in the past, I now use an HP Photosmart C3180 All in One. 

The C3180 is much lighter in weight, fast, the paper tray folds up, I can scan as well as make black and white and color print outs, and it only set me back $89.  Sure there are close to $400 lighter weight and battery operated, truly portable printers out there but with a $20 car adapter I can plug it in and get prints anywhere my car goes.

Once offers are signed, they can be scanned back in as PDF and then emailed to the listing agent.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Writing-an-offer-on-a-Lap-Top-way-to-go-?12249 tells about wireless printing and making use of zip form and a tablet pc.  Also, mentioned are paperless and digital signing.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/The-tools-for-a-self-service-agent?10016 mentions Treo usage and bluetooth printing.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Really-Useful-Tool-1?9216 mentions the Fujitsu ScanSnap.

Note: My LJ5 finally died after 7 years of extremely faithful service.  I don't have the heart to throw it away.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

Last year I tried http://www.overnightprints.com/.  The business cards were my design, fantastic colors, glossy, thick, calendar on the back, UV coated, and 2000 were $89.  I go to re-order this year and everything was right there on the website from my previous order.

The whole process was very easy and my emailed questions about changes were handled quickly.  This place is not for someone who wants to just phone an order in though as they only accept orders through their design cards pages online.

Disclaimer: I neither own nor have any financial interest in this company.

What other national companies have you had success with for business cards?

Some already mentioned sources on Jim Lee's blog may be found at:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Great-source-for-printing?6814

Other interesting AR business card blogs may be found at:

http://activerain.com/action/search/search_results?searchfields=blogs&search=business+cards

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

"Whether tis nobler in the mind" to have an info tube (box) or not seems to be a question of philosophy among Realtors®.  We can probably all come up with dozens of reasons to use info boxes but I have heard more than a few times a reason for not using them.  It's not even the cost of them or the cost of keeping them filled with colorful flyers that seems to be the concern either.

It's the philosophy that if a potential buyer can pick up info on the home without going in the home that they won't call for an appointment to see the inside of the home.  Quite frankly, I look at this a bit differently.  The person who has picked up the info from the tube and calls for an appointment has already liked the home enough to stop and pick up the info and still likes the home after seeing photos of the inside and seeing the price.  The one who has picked up the info from the tube and not called because they didn't like the inside photos, the features weren't what they were looking for, or didn't like the price have just saved me the trouble of showing a home to someone not interested in it.

But wait, you ask, "If you don't have an info tube, you won't get your contact info into the hands of a buyer, will you?"  This question leads to a different philosophy.  What is the best information to have on an info tube flyer?  The answer may not be as easy as you think.  If you said, info on the features of the home, the price, photos, and your contact info, you might be pleasing your seller but you may not be doing a good job of capturing a buyer prospect.  NOTE: I realize some believe this may be a conflict of interest to your seller clients and some Realtors® only list and don't work with buyers and still others have state laws against dual agency, etc.  Please read on laying aside these issues for now.

If you only tell about the home where the tube was hanging, you risk never hearing from the buyer if just one item found on the flyer is not desirable.  May I suggest that you include something like the following in your flyer.  AR's Margaret Rome wrote You can't afford NOT to use me! and 38 comments were added, some of which offered more ideas.  I submit that your sellers will ultimately be happier with you if you end up talking with more buyers because you offer buyers solutions such as financing, home information that won't fit in a tube, and a whole lot more by meeting with them first for a consultation (with a referral to a buyer agent if you don't work with buyers for one reason or another).  The buyers then are able to make a more informed decision about whether they can afford the home, find financing for the home, the sellers' disclosure will prevent them from wanting the home, and other important decisions that could end up tying up a sellers' home by having an unqualified, uninformed, or uninterested buyer on down the road.  If everything does check out in the consultation then most of the unknowns have been removed which can make for a smoother course from offer to close.  NOTE:  Having pre-inspections, appraisals, and home warranties can smooth the way even better.

You also benefit by having a loyal informed buyer to work with if the sellers' home is not right for them.  You may even get a listing out of the deal on their current home.  Ask yourself these questions.  Where do all the buyers go if you have an info tube with the info on the home and the buyers don't like what they see on your flyer?  Are you successful in having them call you for info on other homes that might work for them?

This is just one philosophy of real estate that may be different from common practice.  What are your comments on the info boxes?  What info should be on the flyers inside?  What other philosophies of real estate do you have that are different from common practice?  Blog on them and then share the link in a comment here so we have an index of all the philosophies of real estate in one place.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

This time management tip has to do with setting priorities.  Prioritizing the tasks that really need to get done for the day and doing them first, makes for a less harried day.  I was once told to think back to the day before leaving on a vacation and remember all the different tasks that needed to be completed and how they all managed to get done.

You had to put a hold on the mail, make sure you got traveler's checks, look up wireless places for along the way, pack, get the grass mowed, get bills paid that will become due while you are gone, print out maps, and you know the list went on and on.

This is an example of prioritizing since all the tasks somehow get done and you leave on vacation.  Therefore, to see a dramatic increase in your daily production, pretend that every day is the day before you are going on vacation.  The night before, make a list of all the things that need to get done the next day and get them done.  Repeat this process the next evening.

Pace yourself so you don't over work yourself.  Otherwise you will need the vacation the next day after every high production day.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

If I walk up to a consumer and try to sell them a new watch or a new car or in my line of work a new home, I will always fail.  It's all psychological.  It's all in their head.  Consumers are looking at things from the perspective of "NO SOLICITING", "DO NOT CALL", etc.

However, if we turn the tables around and put ourselves in their shoes, and answer the question, "What will we be doing at 5am the day after Thanksgiving?", we have a different word that comes to mind.  No it's not sleep (come on now, play along), it's "BUY!"

You will never hear "I've got to be first in line so someone can sell me something!"  "Rain, snow, sleet, or hail (is that copyrighted??), my "BUYING" must continue."  "Just try to get in front of my "BUYING" and I will trample over you!"

So look at things from a BUYER's perspective.  What will help them get through the line quicker to "BUY" their stuff?  When at a department store you need a football team ahead of you to clear any obstacles (people) out of the way that will prevent you from scoring big on your "BUYING".

Well maybe this is just a little bit excessive but if we are seen not as someone trying to sell consumers something and seen as someone who can push aside or overcome obstacles along the way in their "BUYING", then they are going to want us to be with them every time they go "BUYING".  Think about it and then stop selling houses!

Thanks from the blocking Realtor® who will clear the way for consumers to "BUY" their homes!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

Learning about time wasters was a major part of my time management class.  The professor had us write down every activity we did for one week -- minute by minute.  Now some might initially say, what a waste of time but before you do, give this process a try.

After recording for a week what you do minute by minute, organize all the different activities in categories such as sleeping, eating, reading, working, exercising, watching tv, and so on.  If it was time wasted record it as such.  Everyone has 168 hours per week given to them to use.  Doing this time management exercise alone makes you think about whether to waste time on something since you will have to record it in that column.  The exercise wasn't designed to get people to be productive every waking moment but to show exactly how much time is wasted every day.  It was a real eye opener.  Give it a try and see for yourself and then report back the results here.  What percentage of your awake time was consumed by time wasters.  NOTE:  Relaxation is not bad in and of itself but too much relaxation will consume productivity time.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

When I was in seminary in Louisville KY, I had a course on time management that really helped to organize me.  Most of us remember cramming for tests, work study jobs in college, classes, social activities, family, and more grabbing a piece of our schedule.

The tip I want to share with you today is about time wasted waiting in lines.  According to NPR, over the course of a lifetime the average American spends two to three years waiting in lines.  Now while there are some things you can do to avoid waiting in lines such as find out from employees what times the longest lines occur at your bank, favorite restaurant, home improvement store, etc. and schedule your trips to these locations at slightly different times.

I remember growing up whenever we went out to eat at a restaurant, we had to get there before 5pm because that was when the places got busy and my dad hated to wait in lines.

However, when you hit an unavoidable line, have something to do while in line.  Bring something in your pocket or purse to work on.  Balance your checkbook, organize a to do list for the next day, or brainstorm on a new project, craft, vacation, etc. and jot down some ideas.  Think of people you haven't spoken with recently and make a list of who you're going to call.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

A couple (first time home buyers) put in an offer for a home and it was accepted today.  They are in a mobile home with soft floor spots, no windows, and no screens.  It was quite a blessing to get to take them over to the home this evening for the first time with their four daughters.

The oldest had never had a bedroom of her own.  The middle two are sharing a huge bedroom.  Their facial expressions and comments were ones of great excitement as they saw the basement that alone has more square footage than their mobile home had.

It will indeed be a Happy Thanksgiving for them this year.  May you and yours have a thankful time with family next week.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

I recently bought the domain name http://www.renters2buyers.com/ and am seeking help from the AR community as to what to put on the website.  Maybe one of the best services Realtors® can provide is helping move renters into becoming buyers.  I've often said, renters are already buyers but they are just buying the property for someone else.

Currently http://www.renters2buyers.com/ points to a blank home page with the AR link.  I want to design a page or pages that renters will find useful to become buyers.  I will then market the page to renters in Lawrence, Kansas to encourage them to make use of the information found there.

If you would like to share in this project and are willing to let me use your ideas on the website, I will update http://www.renters2buyers.com/ so everyone can see the progress on what may be the first real estate blog team inspired and created website.  (Has anyone does this before?)

I'm looking for content helpful to buyers.  I'm looking for layout and color schemes (is someone good at making buttons to go to the different pages??).  I'm looking for something that solicits a response from renters to learn what it takes to move into the world of home ownership.  I'm looking for input from Realtors®, Lenders/Mortgage Specialists, stagers, appraisers, home warranty companies, moving companies, renters, etc.  No one is exempt (with the possible exception of landlords!!  Can you spell sabotage??  It's okay, I'm a landlord too so I can get away with saying that.)

Since this will be a group project, everyone should feel free to use anything we compile in their own website, marketing materials, etc.

We have a blank canvas AR community, except for the AR link that is.  I don't use an editor, just html so don't make things too difficult unless you are going to provide code along with ideas you have.  Here's what there is so far. 

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>www.Renters2Buyers.com</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<A href="http://activerain.com"> <img src="http://activerain.com/images/linking/ARLogo.gif" alt="Real estate agent network."/> </A>
</BODY>
</HTML>

If the code above doesn't mean anything to you, the results can be seen now and as they are updated on http://www.renters2buyers.com/.  A big thank you in advance for all your ideas, code, graphics, feedback, etc.  If you don't see your idea incorporated or your color scheme used, it doesn't mean it wasn't a good choice but that I can only do one thing at a time and will listen to AR feedback as to whether it stays or not.  Ready to have some fun??

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

I get asked why I give away a free monthly tip to Realtors® at our sales meetings.  Realtors® from my office look better statistically if we bring the buyer to one of our office listings.  We get two transaction sides counted for our office.  Therefore, if I am able to network successfully with other Realtors® in our office, I look better to listing prospects because our office closes more listings than any other office in town.  Keeping our listings in front of each other is one way of keeping the stats in our favor.  Providing tips to each other, helps us to stay ahead together and stay in communication with each other.

Here are three tips I have distributed on slips of paper at our sales meetings and one bonus one that I emailed:

November Bonus Tip of the Month from Rob

http://www.rentvine.com/map/ is a link to a free property mapping tool that can be emailed or placed on your website.  There is free signup and there are no ads displayed.  There are two sizes of maps to choose from: small and large.  There is a demo video that shows you how simple it is to design a map with your property's information: address, city, bedrooms, bathrooms, photo, title, and link to website.  It literally takes less than one minute to create a map with your property's info.

http://www.worldclassbassfishery.com/ is an example of how I have the map on the website.  If you click on the red push pin on the map it tells you the information on the property and provides a link under more info that will take you to your website.  If you click on the "Satellite" button at the top, you can zoom in several times by clicking on the plus sign.  To move the map around, simply grab the map by holding down your left mouse button and pull the map in the direction you want.

November Tip of the Month from Rob

A free marketing PowerPoint presentation that can be fully edited is available from the http://resource.realtor.com/agent/FeaturedAgent.aspx website under Step Three "Marketing Proposals".  Once you have the PowerPoint edited with your information, you can then email your seller prospects the PowerPoint slideshow or run it on your laptop in their presence making any additional points that you like.  If you don't have PowerPoint, you should be able to find a pc at the office with it loaded.  Look at Rob's laptop for one of my PowerPoint marketing presentations.

October Tip of the Month from Rob

If you haven't already discovered the free online classifieds, you might want to take a look.  One such website is http://www.livedeal.com/ that offers a very basic classified ad with one photo for free.  While they sell enhancements, I have placed my YankeeTank listing online at http://livedeal.com/ShowItemDetail?id=18095804 and several other free classified ad websites.  It just takes time.  Also, if you have VisualTour, when you upload a tour, you can send the tour to Yahoo Classifieds, Google Base, Delta Media Group, HomePages.com, Home Seekers, and Prudential Properties VOW just by clicking the boxes to send them there.

September Tip of the Month from Rob

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx Ask Rob for demo

Download Photo Story 3 for FREE from Microsoft to make your own virtual slide shows for your homes.

It's this simple: Run Program, Add photos, add descriptions - music - your own voice, save, distribute

So AR community, other than being on AR, how do you network with other agents to facilitate the selling of each other's listings?

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

Jennifer Giraldi in her http://activerain.com/blogsview/19218/Get-Rich-Quick-Working blog sparked this blog of mine.

Just look at all the get rich quick ideas that are shared on AR that are for free.  Okay, maybe some aren't quite so quick but the valuable tips found in the AR community blogs will help make us wealthier statistically.  We talk about designations and each one of them has stats that claim we will make $X more if we have that designation over not having that designation.  Here are some Education examples:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Graduate-REALTOR-Institute-GRI-A-sign-of-professionalism-in-real-estate?4053 by Jim Lee

http://activerain.com/blogsview/15362/CRS-Sooner-than-later by Tony Marriott

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Realtor-Designations-Another-Look?4484 by Teri Isner

http://activerain.com/blogsview/The-better-agents?11313 by Bob Pavey

For balance and to keep advanced education in perspective read:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/19507/Real-Estate-Education-Should by Bill Archambault, Jr

Now, here are some technology examples:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/19910/Make-Mine-Mobile-Is by Angela Parker

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Treo-65-?3329 by Pam Hofmann

http://activerain.com/blogsview/Technology-Works-If-You-Do-?2708 by Caleb Mardini (Caleb also showed a http://www.flyinside.com/ logo in the corner of this post where you can create free virtual tours if you haven't decided to buy into a tour program...more info on this can be found at: http://www.rismedia.com/index.php/article/articleview/14069/1/1/ )

Here are some marketing examples:

(please add your comments for marketing examples)

Here are some advertising examples:

(please add your comments for advertising examples)

Here are some staging examples:

(please add your comments for staging examples)

Here are some selling/listing technique examples:

(please add your comments for selling/listing technique examples)

Feel free to add other collections of tips you have found for free on the AR community that shows how we all can get rich quick (or maybe not so quick) just for the reading.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

There is a new Home Energy Saver Website and savings calculator out now at http://hes.lbl.gov/.  There are no cost and low cost tips that you can pass on to your clients or simply pass the link on to them.  This link will be in
next month's newsletter that I mail out.  I used the energy advisor to fine tune the calculator to be more like my home in the Lawrence Kansas real estate area and discovered $3100 would be my annual utility bills total, which is pretty close.  It also said I could save almost $1500 per year by making some changes and it told me what
changes to make!  This can help a person decide whether it is worthwhile through energy savings to replace a furnace, hot water heater, etc. and how long it will take to pay off the cost of the replacements.

Lawrence Yerkes, AR member, did another blog on energy savers that can be found at:
http://activerain.com/blogsview/EnergySavers-com-Energy-Efficiency-and-Savings-Solutions?2533

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

80% of buyers search for homes for sale online so why should I advertise in the paper
or expect a sign in the yard to sell my home.  The buy a home process has
changed.  The potential buyer types in a search phrase such as Lawrence
Kansas Real Estate or whatever city they are looking to move to and they get
a list of homes and Realtor® that can help them in their search.

The listing prices used to be placed at $149,900, for instance, but now that
is a mistake.  With more than 8 out of 10 going online, what buyers find is
a range of home prices to select from to begin the search process.  If
someone selects the $150,000 to $170,000 range, they will never see the
listed home at $149,900.  However, if the Realtor® places the price at
$150,000 it now shows up on the list of homes.

But wait!  There is an added bonus.  The home also shows up on the $130,000
to $150,000 list of homes so it is actually going to appear in two sets of
buyers' search results.  My making use of online advantages is what will
give you peace of mind as you trust me with your real estate needs.

Newspaper marketing has its place but the old way no longer works.  To learn
more about how to buy a home, sell a home, the differences between online
marketing and newspaper marketing, give me a call or an email.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

Before joining Active Rain, I had no idea what an AR, BB, TLW, Delicate R, TOLW, and so on were.  Celebrating my one month anniversary with AR today, I feel blessed that I have been able to join into a community of people that are kind to each other, occasionally jump to the wrong conclusion, talk through things, apologize, and then move on.

I thought it might be handy though for someone to have a blog that will collect a list of acronyms used on AR (I love lists and summaries).  First time visitors and new people here will think there is some kind of secret code and won't know where to find the decoder ring.  Hopefully this blog will allow long timers the opportunity to post the acronym and what it stands for and for newcomers to post questions, such as what's AR, BB, TLW, etc.  The hard part is going to be posting what seems obvious to you that you think everyone should know.  So I start with the obvious AR and a very few more.  Apologies to those omitted but I wanted to start a list; not create the list myself so please add your acronym(s).  Add designations, nicknames, etc.

AR - ActiveRain (this one only had me stumped for a few minutes)

BB - Broker Bryant http://activerain.com/blogs/tutas TLW's husband

TLW - The Lovely Wife http://activerain.com/blogs/sundusk BB's wife

Delicate R - Rich Kruse http://activerain.com/rf1721

TOLW - The Other Lovely Wife http://activerain.com/kruseme Melissa Kruse

Now maybe I should know this after being here for a month now but I'm going to ask anyway even though it may go down as the dumbest question ever to appear on AR, "What's ROAR" mean?  (You'd think an ePro, GRI, soon to be ABR, etc. would know something like that!!)

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

How much time per day do you spend blogging?

Please cut and paste one of the following into a comment: 

Less than 10 minutes per day

10-30 minutes per day

30-60 minutes per day

1-2 hours per day

More than 2 hours per day

Also, please share how much of that blogging time is on ActiveRain and how much is other.  It would also be interesting to see whether you are a real estate professional or a consumer.

Mine is 1-2 hours per day unless I am teaching someone else how to do things on AR and then it is 4 hours (right dear brother in Iowa??)  100% of my time blogging is done on AR.  I wouldn't have time to be a Realtor® if I took on any more blogging than I am already doing.  Yes, I was one of them going through withdrawal when AR was down a week ago or two ago.

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

I thought I should cry out for a rallying call to post in a comment to this blog, the url of your zero comments blog or blogs that you believe deserve a second chance.  Please, only post the good ones (I know, we think all of them are good) and make sure to give the title or a short description.

Maybe Caleb or others moderating this group have some stats as to what percentage of blogs have zero comments.  It is kind of like the "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" question.

While some on AR figure the quality of a blog is based upon how many comments it has, we should keep in mind the potential intrinsic value of the zero comment blogs.  I think there are several in the AR community who believe they wrote an excellent blog that either because it was submitted at 2:30 in the morning and was buried before 9am or because it was submitted in the summer months and Realtors® were too busy to read very many blogs, or for whatever reason received zero comments.

Here's one of mine to start it off.  Please add your blogs that you believe deserve a second chance.  Then maybe when they are re-visited someone will remove the zero comments status.

How many Realtors® offer classes and how do you get consumers to attend? http://activerain.com/blogsview/18304/How-many-Realtors-offer

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)

I was showing a home to a couple and opened a door for them and just as I started to enter the room I saw something out of the corner of my eye.  A doberman had just slipped through a pet access flip door to the outside and was heading over toward us.

I'm thinking to myself, there was no notice on the showing instructions of any pets, the listing Realtor® had not mentioned anything, the doberman is getting closer, I better do something...

I pushed the buyers and myself back through the doorway and closed the door quickly.  I found out later the dog was very friendly.  So Realtors®, what pet stories do you have to share?  Buyers, have you been startled by a pet at a home showing before?

Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS  66049
785-393-2274 (cell)   785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com   (same website name if you want to visit)