Tag Archives: anotherme

Patty’s Link to Great Holiday Classics!

  By Patty | November 22, 2010 - 4:12 pm | ,
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I just was thinking about all the wonderful holiday movie classics I’ve watched in the past. Of course, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story” are usually ones my brain thinks of first. Everyone seems to find “Elf” especially enjoyable, but there are some others for you to consider. I’ll post a few suggestions in the upcoming weeks! Hope you enjoy!

Jingle All the Way
Into comedy? Then take a look at poor Howard Langston, a carpet salesman who is too busy to make it to his son’s karate classes and constantly disappoints him in one fashion or another. In an effort to make amends with his son, Howard sets off on Christmas Eve to find the only present his son really wants…an action figure of his television hero…Turbo Man.  Have your ever waited until the last minute to try to buy a gift so popular it was impossible to find?

“Jingle All the Way”  features Arnold Schwarzenegger as Howard Langston and Sinbad as Myron, a crazed mailman trying to find the same gift for his son, but becomes “postal” during the frantic competition for this child’s Christmas must-have! This movie is great for all ages and is near and dear to my heart!

What are some of your favorite holiday classics?

If you have been under a rock and have never seen the movie, check out the video below! Happy Holidays!

Trinity, Is There Really a “Matrix”? Yes, Neo, It’s Called QR Codes!

  By Patty | November 4, 2010 - 10:38 am | ,
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Have you all heard of the latest technology being developed today for those people with mobile devices? It’s called a QR Code.  This is a marketing bonanza for real estate brokers and agents to direct potential clients to websites, videos, contact information, virtual tours or music in just a few seconds!

What is a QR Code? Basically, it’s a lot like the barcodes you are familiar with today, but a QR Code is a two-dimensional matrix which can be scanned by a smartphone or a mobile phone with a camera to download all the information it contains!

Have no idea what I’m talking about or how it could possibly relate to the real estate industry? Take a look at the following video featuring numerous ways QR Codes can open up those windows of opportunity! After the video, if you would like to read more about QR Codes, read my new post Jump Into the Marketing Matrix with QR Codes! on ActiveRain.com.

If you have questions about building your Social Media Marketing… but just don’t have an extra 2 or 3 hours to do it each month, call Patty Keller at AnotherMe 770-414-9393 for a personal quote for your business!  Don’t Worry About It!  A Real Estate Virtual Assistant can do this Internet stuff for you!

Ask about our Nardigras Discount!

Fair Housing Act Guarantees Equal Opportunity for Everyone

  By Patty | September 28, 2010 - 11:12 am |
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2008 Fair Housing PosterAs a Real Estate Broker, Agent, Apartment Community Manager, Private Home Seller or Landlord, it is imperative you and your staff are knowledgeable about the Fair Housing Act and its guidelines. Perhaps you have a new employee who could use this information or maybe you just want to refresh your memory. Either way, the staff at AnotherME wants to provide it for you.

As you know, the sale and purchase of a home is by far the most meaningful occurrence that happens in an individual’s lifetime. Because we live in the greatest country in the known world, America offers its amazing diversity of citizens the opportunity to purchase or rent a place to call home without the threat of discrimination.

Basically, in a nutshell, the Fair Housing Act makes it federally illegal to discriminate in the sale, lease or rental of real property based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. So, interestingly enough, there are some simple words and phrases which are acceptable and then some which will land you in a heap of trouble.

What You Can’t Say

When advertising or showing property, stay away from using these types of descriptions:
Student Housing; Mature; Adults; Kids/No Kids; Exclusive Community; Traditional or Private; Unmarried or Married; Senior Citizens Only; Empty Nesters; Gay Friendly/Straight

These are terms that tend to imply a discriminatory attitude toward possible exclusion from a sale or rental. Be careful because terms like Private, Semi-Private, Restricted, Traditional and Integrated can be misconstrued as discriminatory. Try to be more specific and qualify your description by saying “Private: Gated Entrance” instead of “Private Community or Subdivision”.

Don’t use racial or significant landmarks of national origin when providing directions. Omit the fact that it’s near Arlington Cemetery or St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Give specific street directions to avoid confusion.

What You Can Say

When describing the property, you have a bit more freedom. Tell your potential clients it’s a traditional brick home with a private entrance. Do they know there’s a mother-in-law suite and a second kitchen in the basement? Is the property secluded? Mention it. And don’t forget the large, walk-in closets, the private backyard and the huge master bedroom on the main floor. Attract business clientele by mentioning its potential for a professional or executive looking for the right place to call home. Non-smoker is even okay to use.

The term “No Pets” is tricky. No pets are fine, but if you are looking to rent the property the landlord must make allowances for those who require pets to assist them (i.e. the visually impaired).

It’s always a good idea to keep current and knowledgeable about the laws and regulations that affect the Real Estate industry. If you would like more information, please visit the website for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Image of Poster courtesy of  HUD.gov

Facebook Friends and First Impressions

  By Patty | January 16, 2010 - 10:19 am | ,
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I like Facebook!  And I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know all kinds of new people and friends of my friends. Facebook FriendsConnecting and networking is what this business is all about!  But some people forget that manners and first impressions are even more important when networking in cyberspace. 

Case in point…yesterday I got a “Mystery Facebook Friend Request” from a total stranger.  However, this person didn’t include a message with his request stating why we should be friends or how he might know me. 

Whenever I send out a “Friend Request” to someone that I don’t know, I always send a message along with it to explain we have multiple friends in common or I would like to get to know them better, or we share similar interests or someone recommended that I get to know them.  Something!

Here’s a good example of a message that someone sent me: “Would love to learn more about AnotherMe.com. Look forward to networking with you too! We have alot of the same business/personal friends. Take care!”  Pretty good!

Back to the Mystery Friend Request… I really dislike this kind of friend request, because I have to do all the work!  I have to click on his profile and try to figure out how I might know him, and decide if I even want to know him. I have no clue why he would want to “Friend” me. 

So, I click on his profile, view his information and then click on his “Wall” to get a little more information about him and see what he’s all about.  What do I see?  Mafia Wars – He’s all about  Mafia Wars.  Every single update on his wall was a Mafia Wars update.   Seriously! 

It made me wonder, why would anyone want to friend this guy and get his Mafia Wars updates multiple times a day? (unless they do Mafia Wars)  He could be a nice guy, want to do business with me, or want to send me referrals.  But that first impression has turned me off.

Which leads to the next question….  Should I just click on the “Ignore” button or “Report him as Spam”? 

What do you think?

 

It works for Righties or Lefties – DocuSign

  By Patty | November 12, 2009 - 1:21 pm | ,
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You know the drill. Just sign here, here, here …and initial here, here, here and here… and when your fingers are cramping and numb, we’ll have ourselves a legal document.

The paperwork in a real estate transaction – from listing to closing – can be a real time-drain for all involved.  On some deals, all those signatures and initials just might necessitate a physical therapy appointment.

DocuSign offers a legal, secure electronic signature service guaranteed to reduce the wear-and-tear on schedules and fine motor skills.  Did you know that an electronic signature is enforceable and legal. (even in California!)

Better yet, DocuSign Lite is a free service anyone can use right from DocuSign’s homepage! There’s no paper, no account to set up, no cost or credit card number to provide. Simply upload the document that requires a signature and enter the email address of the recipient. Your recipient gets an email message from DocuSign notifying them of a document to be signed and you receive an emailed receipt confirming that the process is complete.

For more information, here is a link to the DocuSign blog.  If you’re a Mortgage professional, an REO Professional or a Real Estate Professional, take a moment to read through the section dedicated to the real estate industry.

Learn how DocuSign can speed up the process for everyone on both sides of a transaction.  And if you’re headed to NAR – you can check out their booth.  Tell them AnotherME sent you!

Pen

So when you hear, “where do I sign?”… now you can tell your clients, just click here, here, here and here…

Is your Laptop Hot?

  By Patty | September 6, 2009 - 9:33 pm | ,
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Over the summer months, I’ve been using my laptop in the evenings to update my Facebook and Twitter accounts. And let me tell you, a laptop is hot!targus - lapton

Did you know heat is the probable a cause of some those annoying performance issues, like ‘lockups’.  And it might even be the cause of permanent damage. Yikes! What I’ve learned is that with a laptop, heat issues can be even more of a concern. (now they tell us!) All those heat producing components are tightly arranged inside a small space…so there’s not much room for a cooling system. (think tiny exhaust fan)

Use your laptop for an extended period of time and feel the bottom of it. Or feel your legs!

Well, I found a “COOL” solution for the “HOT” laptop! It’s a laptop cooling pad! I had no clue there was a product like this.

One day browsing for a thumb drive at Office Depot, I ran across this little gem. It’s a lightweight, thin “platform” that houses 2 cooling fans. (It’s the same footprint as a laptop) It plugs into your laptop and doesn’t create a big drain on the battery life either! Bottom line – less heat makes for a more efficient computer.

In case you’re wondering, I purchased the Targus brand Chill Pad, but there are others on the market as well. After using this “Cool Tool” for the past few months – I am singing its praises. I’d recommend this $30 investment (average cost) for any real estate professional who uses a laptop.

It will improve your overall computer experience and extend the life of your laptop.  While keeping you from heating up!

Under Contract… Are your Clients Out of Sight and Out of Mind?

  By Patty | August 4, 2009 - 10:22 am |
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Transaction Coordination, Contract to Close, Closing Coordination, Transaction Management… Whatever you call it, this is the one service you should consider adding to your business.

Business Man

One of the challenges facing many agents today is keeping the paperwork and communications flowing during the closing process. When you’re out with new clients and can’t respond to calls or emails until the evening or the next day, the closing process for your Under Contract clients has been slowed down or sometimes derailed.

A Transaction Coordinator is on the job and working for you. She will be responding to those emails and phone calls during the day and making sure that everyone is “doing their job!” Then you can focus on new clients while still providing excellent service to your clients who are under contract.

Coaches and brokers recommend adding a Transaction Coordinator to your team when you are handling at least 20-24 sides per year.  A Virtual Closing Coordinator just makes sense.  Most Virtual Transaction Coordinators charge a flat fee per contract, paid at the closing.  No overhead, no additional phones or computers to buy and no salary.  Just pay as you produce!

Your Transaction Coordinator/Closing Coordinator is responsible for managing the process and deadlines, monitoring the progress, following up, communicating with all the parties in the transaction, and assisting your clients through the closing process.  When you stop and think about it, there can be up to 12 parties involved in just one deal: buyers and sellers, co-op agents, escrow companies, title companies, closing attorneys, appraisers, inspectors and don’t forget the loan officers and processors.  And with today’s market, deals are taking longer and are a bit more complicated!

Closing table conversation

The bottom line…  when you get to the closing table and everything has fallen into place, then you look good and your clients are happy!  Happy clients equal more referrals!