Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD

I was asked by the Montgomery County Maryland Women's Council of REALTORS® to give a presentation about what I have learned about social networking in the last couple of years. I was honored to be asked and so I went last Wednesday to see the members of WCR

I put my presentation together, keeping it simple for myself and for the members to not be overwhelmed by the massive amount of information that goes along with social networking. I thought Blogs, Social Networks and Micro-blogging would be the a good place to start. I am far from being and über geek or any kind of expert, but I have taken many classes over the last year, and still do now, to learn about this ever evolving way of doing business.

I put my presentation together, simple and what I hoped would be clear for the members to understand. My RE/MAX broker was great and loaned me the projector for my presentation. I got there, set everything up, had my cup of coffee, waited for the meeting to be called to order and wouldn't you know the bulb burns out in the projector!! Never a good thing for a presentation, let alone my nerves. Trying to fix it, to no avail, we decide to just us my laptop, turn down the lights and press on.

My main focus of the presentation was what Social Networking was, why we should care about it, and how can someone get started.

My suggestions for the group, that have worked for me personally were:

• ActiveRain because it is a real estate community
• RealEstatetomato because of the extensive training
• Facebook because we all need friends and exposure
• Twitter is easy and part of my social network

I told the members that social networking was the future of real estate marketing not only for Listing and selling homes, but also for branding ourselves in our community.

I think several understood what I was saying and asked me several questions. I told them I was not a technical person but would find out the answers for the things I did not know. I think one of the biggest things I had going for me was that I am not a technical computer person, I am a REALTOR® who can explain this type of information in a way that non technical people can understand. We speak the same language of marketing homes not html.

I had a great time with the members and was flattered to be asked. Funny though, I think if I am involved with these groups, I think I am pretty mainstream, but I found that it is not popular as I thought. I hope the members found my information helpful and will become active in social networking.

I hope that the members will take some time to explore these networks that I have shared with them. I think they will be amazed at the support that they will receive from others who are already active in Social networking, there is nothing to be intimidated about, jump in! I hope the members of WCR will try to join one network at a time, slowly learning how to be a participant in the paradigm shift of our industry.

Besides, I got new followers on Twitter :)

Today I had a home inspection. I was there with the inspector and the buyers. I don't do much other than let everyone into the house and answer questions about what the seller is obligated to do as per our MAR contract. That is about it.

The last inspection I went to, the same group of folks, me, the inspector, and the buyers. However, the inspection I had last week the listing agent was also present. I didn't think much of it at the time, but as I was driving back to the office I started to remember that the last few inspections I have had when I have sold homes from this particular company, the listing agent has been present? I will have to ask the listing agent the next time, but wondering if this has become a company policy?

While I don't really mind them being there and 9.5 times out of 10, I have a great relationship with an agent I do a transaction with, I think it hinders my buyers inspection?

I know that the inspector did not speak as freely as he normally does when a listing agent is not present. While there are no hard and fast rules that I have read on the contract, I don't think the seller nor the listing agent should be present at the inspection. I am sure if the company has a policy there is a reason, but I don't think that the buyer or the inspector feels as open during the inspection if someone is there "watching over" them.

I have read on some posts, where in some areas it is not customary for anyone but the inspector to be at the inspection so the inspection is not influenced in anyway. To that train of thought, I think it is good for the inspector to show buyers preventive maintanence items and helpful homeowner hints. If the inspector finds something, I think it is important for a purchaser to be there with the inspector so that the purchasers can see the item in question.

When I am the listing agent, I tell my sellers that they should not be at the inspection. I find that the seller takes everything so personal anyway. I tell them what they are responsible for in the contract and that the inspector is going to find something wrong with the house, it is their job to find defects, not to take it personal

I believe the if the buyer pays for the inspection that they have the right to be present at the inspection and shoudl expect some privacy during the inspection.

What we all do here on Active Rain, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter - those are the ones I use the most - is, of course, called Social Networking.

With social networking there are many different aspects of it and why we do what we do and who we interact with. I started here on Active Rain and then all you know what broke loose. I found my inner geek and have never looked back. Not coming from a technology background, I had no idea what a widget was, much less what to do with it, but now I do. Well, at least I have an idea.

Nervous as I started, I started commenting and then final tried my hand a writing a blog or so. Amazed, I found this entire new world of people, who I now consider family and friends. The best part of social networks is that most people share their knowledge and insight with me about technology and in turn, I try to share some of the real estate knowledge I have with them. It works, and we all are more successful by helping and sharing. Helping and sharing, that is what it is all about.

So we are social inside of our computers, but there comes a time when we need to close our computers and go to things like and Inman Conference, or a REBar Camp. Currently you are reading about the Real Estate Tech South Confernce in Atlanta. If there is a conference like this near you and you can get there, GO. You will meet the Jeff Turners, Mike Simonsens, Ines Hegedus-Garcia, and Natalie Langfords of the social networking world. They are, I can not say it enough, the nicest people you will ever meet. When they talk and share with you, they are sincere and talking to you.

Social means meeting and interacting with the people you have realtionships with face to face, belly to belly with real live humans is the crux of all of you online efforts.

Having attended a few meet ups, a Confernce and REBCVA, the most fun is meeting the folks who live in your computer IRL( in real life). I got to meet my friend Nannette Sauders and have never looked back. I cannot tell you how attending one of these events will make all of the blogging and networking that you do, come full circle. You will have the best time to meet everyone and spend time with them. Most everyone you know here is a hundred times better IRL. Engaging with the folks that you read here and other sites will teach you even more things when you are in a social setting. It makes the connection real.

If you cannot attend one of these types of conferences, check to see if Dakno.tv is attending. They have been doing live feeds and you can sit and watch these conferences right from your computer. Ain't technology great. With that said, going is much better than just watching it on your television.

I encourage you to go to the next Tweet up, Meet Up, REBAR Camp, Confrence, NAR convention, you will have so much fun, meeting the people you interact with on a daily basis. You will be greeted with hugs and smiles. After you go, you will be so glad that you did. Look for me at the next get together, I know I will be excited to see you there.

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If have been shopping for a home in Montgomery County Maryland, then The Kentlands was surely one of the stops or considerations you made. If you are not familiar with the Kentlands it is a Neo Traditional Neighborhood.
The Neighborhood is designed where you could Live, play and work in one area. Smaller yards, sidewalks and all of the amenities and shopping are within walking distance. The Kentlands is a very active, social community in the heart of Gaithersburg.

There is shopping of every kind from food to lawn mowers. Office space is available to run any and all businesses. The warmer months bring out the Farmer's market, you have Whole Foods and Giant Grocery Stores. Lots of restaurants and pubs as well.

There are several differnent styles of homes. Everything from condos to Luxury single family homes and towns are available for all tastes and lifestyles. The Kentlands even has a senior apartment community.
The condos start, these days, in the low $200,000s and the single family homes can go up to the low $1,000,000. The style is a colonial Williamsburg theme through the neighborhood. The homes sit on small lots, we refer to them as zero lot lines.

Read the rest of the article here

When I think of the word "neighborhood" I think of West Riding. It is an established neighborhood located in the heart of Gaithersburg. It is part of the City of Gaithersburg. There are different home styles in West Riding. There are two styles of Colonial, a split colonial, split foyer, rambler and a raised rambler. The homes were built in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

When you look in West Riding at homes, you will see that most of the homeowners have updated and remodeled many of the homes. You will find new kitchens, replaced windows, roofs, HVAC systems. The homes sit on lots that are close to a half acre.

Those are some of the asthethics of the neighborhood, but the people are really spectacular. Whenever I have a listing in the neighborhood you can be sure that the neighbors will stop by and say hi. They are some of the best critics of my listings and are always eager to share the things they have done in their homes.

The other special part about the community is that they know each other, you know like the old days. There is a Moms group that all support each other and socialize together. I know that one of my past clients had a baby and the baby was born with some difficulty. The Moms group pulled together and helped the family while Mom had to go to the hospital to be with their newborn. Cooking meals and that sort of stuff.

A real tribute to the neighborhood is that the kids that grew up in West Riding are now adults and are buying the homes in their old neighborhood to raise their families. I think that is are real testament to the neighborhood.

West Ridging is one of my favorite neighborhoods to sell in because people get so much more than just a house.