Debra Kay

If you have been watching Red Rooster on Facebook, you know they just opened on Monday. Hat's Off to the gang for launching a new business and building the buzz on Facebook. Over the last 4 months, Red Rooster has used a FB ad to get noticed and now has over 1300 fans.

Check out Pat Giles blog post to the Wall Street Journal. We all have agents in our marketplace that think that their photos represent the home and serve the seller. Pst "Pass it on"

John L. Scott Real Estate Our own Pat Giles contributed to this Wall Street Journal post about how NOT to take bad real estate photos: http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/07/22/awful-real-estate-listing-photos-how-not-to-take-them/

The Trouble with Summertime Traffic in Gig Harbor is just that. It is summertime and there is more traffic. Gig Harbor has a couple of serious round-about intersections designed to keep traffic moving and guess what...they are under construction. Knowing how to navigate a roundabout is important, so here is what the driver's manual says about roundabouts. Yes the drivers manual...when was the last tine you brushed up on driver safety.

RoundaboutsA roundabout is an intersection control device with traffic circulating around an island. Approaching vehicles must yield to the traffic in the circle. Always yield to pedestrians and bicyclists who are legally crossing the road. Inside the circle, always drive around the circle to the right.

How to drive in a roundabout:

1. Slow down as you approach the intersection; roundabouts are designed for speeds of 15-20 mph.

2. Enter the roundabout when there is a gap in traffic. Once inside, do not stop. Follow directions on signs or pavement markings about which lane to use.

3. You may exit at any street or continue around if you miss your exit.

In the summertime it seems that people tend to be bigger risk taker than they would be in the fog or rain. I almost got clipped today driving in the left lane of a two lane road when the person on my right decided to make a righ turn into the parking lot. He made a perfectly legal manouver, however the white pick up turning left out of the parking lot at Albertsons didn't wait until the person driving cleared the parking lot entrance. He did not see me and we almost hit head on. I swerved into the double turn lane and the truck driver veared left as well. We missed each other, but it was close. Do you take greater risks in the summer? Do you duck between two parked cars or cut in front of a semi to get around the guy ahead of you? Reconsider, re-read the Drivers Handbook, and drive safely.

In this market, the first four to six weeks is the most critical time to attract attention to a newly listed home on the market. This time period is where most of the time, effort and money goes to market the home to as many potential buyers as possible. My marketing campaign includes a Listing Launch providing the sellers are willing and that is exactly what I was doing this last weekend.

Launching a listing is intense marketing to the public and brokers. As soon as I know the listing is signed I start planning. This will be a marketing blitz beginning Thursday with the Brokers Tour. I am going to want to get as many brokers there as possible to see the house before the weekend. Thursday afternoon I'd follow up with any broker that said they might show the house.

On Tuesday of that week I put signs at the entrance to the neighborhood indicating the times of the open house on the weekend. The same day I had deliver invitations to the Sneak Preview for the neighborhood that will happen on Friday evening from 5 - 7 pm. Saturday and Sunday the Open House event to the public would be from 12 - 4.

This strategy has helped introduce the listing to the brokers and get the buzz going about the house to the public. I announce the Open House on my blog and create a Facebook page for the event. In this market we just have to do more to attract a buyer and get the house sold.

Downtown Gig Harbor was the site for the Peninsula Art Show Theanks to the local businesses inconvenienced by closing Judson Street on Saturday and Sunday for the venue. I spoke with a couple of artists that thought the "Judging was great" I also overheard Wows from the crowd as they viewed the artist's work. The threat of rain made for some cool shopping as the ice cream vendors will attest. Kudos to all who helped put on the show. It is a huge undertaking to be able to bring local artists wogether with regional works to delight us all.