This post was inspired by Bob Stewarts Blog Challenge when he asked the question "How do you use your blog to enhance your existing relationships with clients and prospects?" I have four examples that I want to share that I hope will encourage others to be an active member of this community.
I have used my blog posts (and what I consider to be another version of my websites) to generate interest in my marketing and virtual assistant services as well as provide ideas on how my prospects, readers and clients can extend their reach and provide great customer service to their prospects and clients.
First Example
Even yesterday, a new member of ActiveRain who has subscribed and reading my posts contacted me about this very post.
The response that my clients and readers have received has been overwhelmingly positive from their clients. When I create blog posts like this I try to put myself into the shoes of a consumer - I was one in the last few years when I was buying and selling a home - and I know what I wanted, needed and what was of interest to me. I like sharing that information with agents to help and remind them of putting themselves into the consumers shoes - seeing what's important to them and allowing them to build a solid relationship with that client.
I invited the agents to see how they're doing and if there were areas that their listings will benefit from having this added exposure and to be sure to share it with clients. Many found the post/checklist useful to measure their pre-listing presentations and to build their marketing plans for the upcoming year.
Receiving comments like this:
"Anne Marie- There is certainly a lot to do! And you are right, many clients are checking up online to make sure that their Realtor is doing what they said they were going to do! It is important not to overpromise and under deliver! The beauty about your list here is that this list can be reversed into a beautiful listing presentation in terms of what one WILL do. It is a lot of work to do all of those things which is another reason many agents need to consider hiring an expert that can help!!! : )" ~ Chris Somers
"Awesome post Ann Marie. If everyone followed your advice there would be a lot more top notch Realtors:)" ~ Bill Gassett
Second Example
Another great compliment you can receive is having your post reblogged and that honor has been given to me many times by so many members of ActiveRain. One that surprised and delighted me was this one. Wow, I think I was walking on the air the rest of that day!
Third Example
Another way that I have discovered that my blog are helpful and enhance my relationships is by providing blog posts that agents and brokers have told my they have printed to use in their business plans, training classes and as a simple reminder of what is important to keep focused on when it comes to marketing and staying in touch with their clients. Again, just this week I was contacted by an agent to offer training for their office staff.
Comments I've received on blog posts that members felt they could use in their own agent training classes and as a daily reminder for themselves have included:
"What a great post. Lots and lots of great ideas. I am going to share these with some of my agent friends. Thanks so much for sharing. You just might want to do some coaching in addition to your Virtual Assistant practice" ~ Karen Anne Stone
"Great post - each activity improves our skills and generates leads. I have shared it with the rest of the staff and it was favorably received." ~ Ryan Shaughnessy
And its comments like this - positive feedback - knowing I am making a difference to my colleagues and yes, many of them are my actual clients - so they can in turn make a difference to their clients - is what it's all about for me.
Fourth Example
The last way I use my blog posts is as a link in my responses back to inquiries about my services. Whenever someone inquires about my services I not only provide them with a phone call to discuss their 
needs but I highlight some of the services I provide that may benefit them by sending them an informational piece that lists those services along with the link to my AR blog. I want them to see firsthand the content I provide, the advice I preach, the tips I share and how the readers and subscribers to my blog respond to me. Often the comments left are testimonials to how my advice shared can be applied to their business and often they will return back to tell me about their success.
It is no secret that AR is a powerful tool and it certainly is the most powerful one I utilize to grow my business. It has provided me with clients, friendships and colleagues that refer business to me and that I can refer business to.
Every site I register on I find a way to either link or feed my AR blogs into it to not only promote my services but ActiveRain because I feel that if this network can bring me this kind of exposure and business there are others that can benefit from joining the network. It's a paying it forward mentality that I believe in and possess as I know all too well that many of us here do.
On August 23, 2008 I made the smartest decision for my business and so invite you today to discover the great success you can have by joining and being an "active" member of the Rain.
A special thank you to all the members here that interact with me, read my posts, contribute by commenting and add such value to my posts. You are one of the best parts of my day!
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This community is full of people who are always looking to make a difference to the people who hire us to provide real estate services, in our communities or to those special people in our lives.
This idea was shared with my 11 year old daughter (Sarah) from a teacher in her school. My daughter has been actively looking for ways to get involved with more community service and this is one way she felt she could make a difference in someone's life.
If you're looking for another way to extend your help, especially this winter ~ another way you can make a difference to someone in your community, we hope you'll join us in making a difference!.
A simple gesture can make a difference, and you'll see how at the end of this short video.
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My Advice to Consumers Reading ActiveRain Blogs - The Real Estate Industry has Lots of Positives
I think it's safe to say we've all been hurt before - whether in a relationship, business, and just from experiences we've had. The memories that can come back to us when we relive those experiences can be quite painful and often leave us feeling cautious about trusting anyone. I know on many of my blog posts people have shared some of the negative feelings that they have experienced and are aware of when it comes to the real estate industry and how agents and real estate professionals are perceived.
My advice today is directed to consumers - people reading AR blogs, possibly in search of an agent who can represent them in what will be one the most important and life altering decisions of their life - selling or buying a home. Home represents many different things to people and can be a sacred and safe place for many. It's the place we feel safe and we draw strength from, a place where memories are created and a place we think of when we think family.
Are you a consumer that has a "trust no one" mentality when it comes to the real estate industry?
One faithful day last August while doing a Google search I stumbled across ActiveRain and discovered a whole new world of experience, knowledge, friendship, community and yes, trust. Yes, to my 
great surprise my experience here has been a community that is meant to help people - the general public/consumers looking for real estate services and guidance and colleagues looking to share information about increasing their knowledge and improving their businesses.
Like me, you have stumbled upon a community that is eager and so willing to assist you. I know from personal experience - not only from my online and offline communications but my interactions of working firsthand with so many great professionals from the AR network that you will be in good hands. I can't specifically name an agent that will work well on your behalf but what I can say is that there are so many great agents and real estate professionals to choose from on this network so why leave it up to chance and choosing someone you know very little about.
My advice is simple:
Give yourself some time and then take that leap of trust knowing that these re professionals are dedicated to getting you the results you are looking for - they are bound by a code of ethics and their own 
code of wanting to do the right thing for their customers.
They dedicate a lot of time and effort to bringing you information about your community, the real estate industry and have put themselves out here in very personal ways for you to have the opportunity to get to know them. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of that.
I know in my heart you will find the right agent or professional here on this network - there are just so many that I would personally choose myself to represent me.
I wish you great success in choosing your agent or the real estate professional you are looking for and hope that you will drop me a note to share your success - knowing I have been where you are - a consumer looking for an agent to represent me.
I simply trust that you will have a great experience and you will discover for yourself that there are some great professionals in the real estate industry and positive experiences to be had that undoubtedly you will want to share with your friends and family.
Consumers:
Help, advice and knowledge are a simple click away for you - what are you waiting for?
Agents and RE Professionals:
Some of you have left comments about the negative feelings and perspective of the public when it comes to the RE industry - what are you doing to show there are positive aspects?
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This post is to provide and encourage anyone new to blogging or someone returning to blogging after being away for a while with some easy to follow tips on how to get started blogging (again), build relationships and interact with your readers. Yes, be an "active" member of this network.
Make no mistake, it will not happen overnight - it will take time and patience and will take you focusing on these areas below to develop your blog and ultimately your readership.
I have been fortunate in my time here on Active Rain to interact with some amazing bloggers and amazingly enough I have even received compliments on my blogging style and information I share on my blog posts and yes, questions from members on how I developed my blogging.
I am no expert, because believe me - it took time and patience to develop that style and find my blogging voice. Just look at my first post - what was I thinking? I learned over time to change the focus on my blog - to share more and great things will come my way. So I thought I could share some of my methods for developing my blogging in the hopes that it will help you.
Here are some of my key tips for becoming a successful blogger:
Your best tool ~ a notebook and pen. I know it sounds simple but it really does work. This is not to say you can't use other tools like Google docs or word or whatever tool that works for you to pen your blogs but the point is use what works for you and a notebook and pen is what works for me. I have a small notepad on my nightstand, in my purse and on my desk for jotting down quotes, ideas, words and topics that eventually end up being a blog post. Just read some of the titles on the blog board - it could be a reference to a commercial, a common phrase and the fun part is how you can make it relate to real estate and your topic. Here's an example of how I used "exercise" to relate to real estate marketing.
Blog - Write a great headline. Deliver great content that fulfills a need for your readers. Highlight the important information whether it's a bullet list, white space, colored or larger text. Make your post visually pleasing with photos and videos to break up the wall of words and to help you further tell your story and further your point. See Debe Maxwell's Post on how to add pictures to your blog. Engage your readers to share their thoughts, comments and experiences.
Proofread - Sometimes it helps to let your blog post marinate like a good steak. Read it again - does it make sense? Is your message clear? Are your links working? Are your pictures described? Are there typos? How is the formatting? For some great tips on formatting your blog visit the FAQ section here on AR - the information and knowledge shared is astounding!
Linking - A great way to increase traffic to your blog by search engines and readers is to provide great links that provide the reader with more information on the topic you are talking about. It could be a previous post you've written on the subject, an article that you read, suggesting further reading on the subject or highlighting a blogger that you admire. Links help you further the points you're trying to make in your blog post. See how I just linked to Debe Maxwell's post above on how to add pictures.
Comment Back - The point of writing a blog post is interaction. It's not putting out a blog and then moving onto the next one without comments back to your readers. In my opinion eventually they may stop visiting. I encourage you to write a short comment back or at the very least visit your commenter's blog and leave a comment on their blog. It's all about building a relationship and when you are relating to your readers you are building those relationships, your knowledge and people will want to regularly follow your blog anticipating what you'll write about next.
Visit your Visitors - To further the point above, I recommend looking at your recent blog or your subscribers list and choose a few people from that list and visit their blog. You may very well discover a topic - a golden nugget if you will - of information and again it's furthering your relationship with this person/blogger and is in fact part of the reason we all choose to be a part of this AR community - to interact and engage.
Network - You have a great opportunity to not only post your blogs on Active Rain but to share the content of your blog across many networks. I know I have received many new readers simply by feeding my blog to Twitter and Facebook from both members of Active Rain but also consumers who have come across my posts by providing them with a direct link to my content. These networks are a great tool to extend your reach and engage with people who are interested in the topics you are writing about. Are we connected yet? What are you waiting for - lets share our knowledge and experience.
Bonus Tip: Over time you can go back to your previous posts and see which ones were the most read and received the most comments. What did these posts address? What made them work? Comments are a great indicator that you hit a cord with your readers.
Other Areas to Look at:
Perhaps your next blog is just waiting there for you in the comments section or your previous blogs in which someone asked a question and you can address it in your next blog post - what a great opportunity to share your knowledge and a link back to that person.
You can even revisit your previous blogs and come up with a new series or rewrite the blog to include a new experience or new knowledge you've gained since you first wrote that post.
You've had the power all along - it's within you and my hope is that this post along with the comments left will inspire you to find your blogging voice - we all can't wait to hear it!
The possibilities are endless. Don't fret if you feel you have nothing to write about. Visit your old blogs, visit your subscribers, read, comment, be active on social media networks and be an observer of life around you - grab that notebook and pen and start writing. I look forward to your next blog.
A question for seasoned members/bloggers:
Do you have any ideas and suggestions for bloggers on where they can focus their blogging efforts that has worked for you?
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A key word that should be on the mind of every real estate professional and part of their "every day" and "every interaction"...
No, I'm not talking about new listings, commissions, recognition - all great things - that will certainly come with focusing on this one key word - FREQUENCY.
The definition of Frequency is:
1. the fact of occurring often or repeatedly; frequent occurrence
2. the number of times any action, occurrence, event is repeated
How does this relate to real estate or any business for that matter? Here are my suggestions for areas of your business that you should be frequently engaged in and touching every day to ensure you're meeting your client's needs and growing your business. (Feel free to add to the list if you feel I missed something.)
Frequent blog posts
Yes, we've all heard that posting frequently will keep refreshing your site for those search engines but often we find ourselves trying to carve out time to post and interact on our blogs and on the blogs we've subscribed to, which can be quite the juggling act when business is busy. Certainly the most important aspect of this point is to find out what "regular" schedule you can keep to. Some things you can do to become more regular/frequent with your blogging:
Frequent visits, comments and interactions with your fellow real estate professionals
Again, this is another area we can all fall short in when times are hectic but there are so many wonderful benefits to participating on colleague's blogs. Here are a few that come to mind:
Frequent participation on Social Media Networks
If you're actively participating on the many social networks available, you are bound to pick up on something new each day - whether it's a news story you missed, knowledge and experience gained from another colleague or interactions that involve humor (a great mood elevator) and simply relating to others within your online communities. There's also so many great tools available on these sites to keep track of posts that are of interest to us, marketing tools that are available and working for our colleagues that we could utilize, and ways to promote our listings and services. Do a search here on ActiveRain and discover for yourself how frequent participation on social media networks have benefitted some of your colleagues - perhaps it's something that could work for you?
Frequent Contact with clients & prospects - phone calls, in person, emails, newsletters, listing updates
Your clients hired you and they do expect to hear from you - ask them from the very beginning how often they want to hear from you and how they want to hear from you. What's important to them is one of the most important things you can find out from the get go since no two clients are the same.
Frequent refreshing of listings
Don't just simply post your listings and forget about them. Often there are price reductions, new pictures taken if the home was listed in the winter and now it's spring or you may feel that you're not getting the traffic you hoped and the posting may need some tweaking.
Frequent Updates to your website & Frequent checks of your statistics
Many people will say they have a website but when's the last time you visited your website. I often encourage clients to visit their website from the outside looking in and not simply on the backend. Often you will notice something doesn't look right and needs some adjusting. Be sure to update your listings - again with price reductions and new photos - it could make all the difference with getting that listing sold.
Frequent tweaking of your Marketing Plan
We all eager in the beginning of the year and even the middle part of the year to establish marketing plan - when's the last time you looked at yours? Are you accomplishing everything you set out to? Did you start using a new tool, gave it some time and discovered that perhaps it's not the most effective? Now's the time to figure those things out so that you are using your time and efforts wisely.
Frequency of your contact information on your marketing materials, blog, website, social media sites - you want to be found and contacted right?
Make sure your clients, colleagues and prospects can easily find out how to contact you. Your blog, website, social media sites and marketing materials should contain this information - people don't want to have to research how to find you - give it to them freely. Make sure your business cards and materials you're leaving at your listings also have all the information necessary for people to reach you and this includes your email and a phone number in which they can actually talk to a live person.
Frequency of Keywords - in your blog on your website - key in boosting your SEO.
There are so many great tools available to us to zero in on those keywords for our website and blogs.
Find out what they are and use them not only on the title page of your website but throughout the content of the page (search engines love this) and your prospects will too because you'll be providing exactly what they're looking for when they typed in those keywords in their search.
This also goes for your blog - create a title and content that speaks and delivers on what you're discussing, create relevant links and keywords that describe what you're blog post is about.
Just like a radio station operates on a certain frequency, you must also be tuned in to the list above to get the maximum benefits for your business growth and for your clients who are entrusting you with a what many consider very important aspects of their lives - their money and their home.
Do you have another area of "frequency" to share that is a great example of maximizing your efforts and getting great results?
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Bringing the real estate professional over 10 years of experience in creative marketing design, ideas, training, tips, tools and motivation including customized branding of you and your business.
Since I started my real estate "marketing" virtual assistance company, I have watched many real estate professionals get overwhelmed with handling many of the day to day marketing and even the administrative tasks that come with their job. The key to working with a "Malfi Marketing Solutions" is the relationship that will be built - a partnership - that will allow me to get to know you and your business so that together we can effectively collaborate and discover ways to increase both your online and offline presence.
If it's not evident to you by now, consumers are very knowledgeable and computer savvy and are using the internet to not only search for homes but for agents and real estate professionals who they feel are like minded and can lead them to the results they are looking for.
Working with Malfi Marketing Solutions will allow you to partner with a Real Estate "Marketing" Virtual Assistant who will compliment your business goals by helping you attract clients and providing you with focus and support so that your business takes its rightful position in your market.
Need a one time project completed or on going assistance? We have flexible plans that will work for you. You can pay hourly, by project or set up an on going plan to secure the monthly hours that you need so that it works for you. Our focus in on Marketing and Branding you and your business with specialties including: Listing Coordination, Marketing and Design, Database Management, Lead Management and another area we call "Get the Word Out."
Still wondering if you need a Real Estate "Marketing" Virtual assistant? The real question should be, Can I afford not to have one? The advantage of having a Marketing Virtual Assistant is that we do not take up space in your office, call in sick, or leave you with unfinished projects. Here's the best part - We're only there for you when you need us! Need more convincing, visit my website to explore all the services we provide and how we can launch your business forward.
My marketing experience and the value it can bring your business:
I spent over 11 years with one company in the Temporary and Full Time Placement Staffing industry in which I was responsilbe for an area that included 3 branch offices and 2 onsite customer locations. I consistently sold over 3 million dollars in services each year, sometimes even more, to local clients and was responsible for all my own marketing, networking, sales, and overseeing operations, staff training and mentoring. I'm telling you all of this because I have walked in similiar shoes - I know what it takes to build your presence both online and offline. I know what it takes to be in sales. Allow me if you will to demonstrate even if on a small scale how my marketing knowledge and experience can help you take your business to the next level. I promise - you won't be disappointed and you'll only be wondering - why didn't I do this sooner.
Should you feel we have similar business goals I invite you to add me as an associate. If you feel that my blogs are helpful and want to see what comes next I invite you to subscribe to my blog and I look forward to future chats with you.
Are you spending lots of time and money on marketing efforts that are not producing results?
There really is no project too large or small for Malfi Marketing Solutions. The main thing you want to consider is if you are using your time wisely. As a licensed agent you are better off doing the tasks that actually require a license and letting Malfi Marketing Solutions handle the rest. To ensure continued growth, turn to someone that can perform these activities effectively and has the knowledge and experience to know where to focus your marketing and what works and doesn't work. Don't find yourself spending countless hours stuck behind your desk and trying to focus on marketing and administrative tasks that will not bring you the results you desire. Together, lets work smarter, not harder.
Through a corporate program, I am offering all Coldwell Banker Realtors a discounted rate on services. Please contact me via my website to inquire about services and rates.
If your brokerage would also like a marketing program specifically designed for your agents, please contact me via email or my website. I would be more than happy to create service plans and rates that will benefit your agents.
Here's a brief overview of some of the marketing services you can expect from Malfi Marketing Solutions:
Real Estate Listing Coordination
Have a new listing but not enough time to post it and give it lots of exposure? Here are some of the things we can do for you. If you don't see something you need, contact us to discuss.
Input listings into MLS and manage updates
Setup and manage showing feedback system
Design a professional color flyer and brochure
Just Listed/Sold Postcards
Virtual Tours (realestateshows.com) - visit my blog or website for special promotion. Examples: http://www.realestateshows.com/336372 & http://www.realestateshows.com/336396
Prepare Open House materials
Weekly/Monthly Seller reports
Create and post listings to on line classified real estate platforms (craigslist, postlets, realbird, and more
Website Maintenance and Updates
Marketing and Design
Marketing Plan Design and Implementation
Design flyers, property brochures and presentations
Newsletters
Website Design using Point 2, Top Producer or Homestead (contact us to discuss design ideas and rates.)
Database Managment
Have the contacts but don't have them organized? We can organize them using your database of choice or we can recommend one to you. (very familiar with Top Producer 7i and 8i and Constant Contact)
Lead Management
Need help following up with your past clients and new contacts? Follow up with newsletters and email campaigns.
Get the Word Out Services
Search Engine Optimization (basic keywords and recommendation of tools to use to increase your ranking in search engines)
Real Estate blogging - if you have the content, I have the time, graphics and knowledge to help you portray the message and branding you are looking to convey.
Marketing Consultation/Training
Need some advice and guidance on where to focus your marketing efforts? Lets spend an hour (or more if you need it) to discuss these ideas and strategies.
Branding:
Webinars
An interactive 5 week webinar workshops, Branding Sanity, brought to you by a joint collaboration of Anne Marie Malfi and Rebecca Levinson. Sign up via the link to reserve your spot.
More webinar workshops being developed and coming soon!
Relocation Packages
Have a lot of clients calling you that are relocating to your area? Why not provide them with a fantastic looking relocation package that outlines all the things about the area they are interested in. We will do all the research and create a package for your clients.
Research
Whether you are looking for the best places to market your listings, promote your services, CRM and lead capture services, or website and blogging platforms to use in your ongoing marketing efforts, partner with Malfi Marketing Solutions to lead you in the right direction.
Our Software/Hardware
MS Word · Microsoft Access · Microsoft Excel · Microsoft PowerPoint · Microsoft Publisher · Adobe Acrobat · Quark · PDF Converter Color Laser Printer · DSL Internet Access · E Fax · Flatbed Scanner
Programs Frequently Used
MLS System
CMA Toolkit
Realestateshows.com*
Postlets
Vflyer
Activerain/Localism
Top Producer (Website and 8i)
Point 2
ENeighborhoods
and more!
*special promotion offer on my website - www.MalfiMarketingSolutions.com
What is a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant is an independent entrepreneur that provides creative, technical, and administrative tasks that saves you time and money while providing these services only when you need them.
How am I different and why do I call myself a Real Estate "Marketing" Virtual Assistant?
Yes, I consider myself a part of the Virtual Assistant industry, but where I am different is that I focus all my efforts on your behalf dealing with all things marketing - on getting to know you and your business and consulting with you to find the best ways, using the best tools and resources to create an online and offline marketing presence. There are many great VA's on this network and elsewhere but I bring my over 15 years of experience in marketing and sales to you as a benefit - I have felt the pain and discouragement when it comes to generating sales and revenue but I have also felt the joy, success and benefits of working hard at my marketing and I want to share it with you. I encourage you to contact me and discover for yourself how I can be an asset to you and your company.
How do I know if I need a virtual assistant?
Call us today for a free 30 minute consultation to discuss your needs and how we can help you do what you do best - putting up more SOLD signs.
Only need us for a short term project? Just starting out in the business and need some guidance and advice? Ask us about our New Client Fall Promotion.
Looking for some "Back to Basics" Marketing Training or a training session on Blogging - how to setup, etc - contact me via my website to sign up.
Testimonials:
"Anne Marie Malfi is an incredibly resource of knowledge and excels in her field as a Virtual Agent in the Bucks County, Pennsylvania area. We have been very impressed with both her knowledge and professional nature and her wonderful personality make her an absolute joy to work with. She is very astute in real estate 2.0 practices and has the upmost respect from me and my coleagues at Castellum Realty LLC for her work in social media and her networking in and around the area. We couldn't give a higher recommendation and believe using her will give your company a leading edge in your specific market. If you were to have any further questions in regards to this recommendation then feel free to contact me." Everand Korthals, Owner , Castellum Realty LLC.
"Ann Marie is a tremendous VA who has a strong grasp on the web 2.0 and how to enhance a Realtors business. She is a constant source of knowledge that anyone who practices Real Estate could benefit from. If you are thinking of hiring a virtual assistant I can think of nobody better than Ann Marie." Bill Gassett, Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate
"Anne Marie is an essential and effective asset to my business. She has been the point person for many of my current and future projects and lends the insight, ability, skills and services that saves my business time and money, allowing me to concentrate on my revenue building opportunities. I would recommend Malfi Marketing Solutions to any business looking to increase their productivity." Rebecca Levinson, Real Estate Marketing Consultant, Blogger, Socially Networked for 17 years d.b.a Real Skillz
"Annie Marie refreshed our website - providing much needed editing and visual improvement. Her work is excellent. She has wonderful marketing ideas, and provides thorough and expert virtual assistance. We highly recommend Anne Marie." Margaret Oscilia, Owner, CreativeConceptsandContracting
"I can't say enough about the services, support, expertise, and knowledge I receive from working with Anne Marie. She has truly been an asset to my business and all my marketing strategies and without hesitation I would highly recommend her services. Halli Eckoff, Realtor, Coldwell Banker Hearthside
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If you're interested in learning more about my marketing services or would just like some one on one time to brainstorm ideas you can reach me in the following ways:
Email me: annemariemalfi@yahoo.com
Call me: 267-229-0275
Websites: www.realestatemarketingva.com
www.MalfiMarketingSolutions.com
Twitter: 
Facebook: 
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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