Emily Shapiro

1. This house is so much better...no stairs to climb, comfy carpet to lounge on, and an endless supply of porch columns to chew!

2. Excuse me people...when will my doggy door be going in? This builder is horrible!

3. Hmmm...which new couch pillow do I start with?

4. I hope that hot little Beagle next door sunbathes on the front lawn everyday!

5. Aren't there any cats on this darn block? How am I supposed to show off to Beagle babe?

6. What were they thinking? The pantry won't fit all of my treats, I can't reach any of these windows to watch birds, there's no sign of squirrels in the backyard, and there's no lap pool!

7. Did I mark this corner yet? How about that one? Well, I better just make sure...

8. I hope the dogs at this new neighborhood park are smart enough to recognize my strong leadership skills...I refuse to follow around another old bullying sheep dog with no creativity!

9. Wow, what an awesome Realtor we had this time...she let me ride in her car to look at houses, I got my own closing gift basket, and she didn't ditch my owners when they insisted I had to approve of the house!

10. What kind of yard has one tree? One tree! How would she like having only one bathroom!

My pets enjoying "their house"

1. It's not you, it's me...I admit I have a fear of commitment and would prefer having more casual relationships with numerous listing agents for every home I see.

2. I'm getting back together with my ex-agent...he sent me a beautiful postcard yesterday saying how much he missed me.

3. My therapist thinks that I would do better off selling the house on my own...I need to become more independent.

4. I can't work with you after seeing you eat that poor cow at lunch...

5. You're a Democrat?! Can you please drop me off at the next light?

6. I just don't feel special anymore, what ever happened to the lunches, the long drives to see beach houses, the free koozies?

7. Oh my, did I forget to tell you my new cell number?

8. My horoscope said that we don't make a good match...your birth date implies misfortune within my living space.

9. If you can't donate half your commission to our local "Struggling Actor's Fund", this can't go any further.

10. The dog ate our listing agreement.

1. Make sure you have some money in the bank to hold you over for a while...Ramen noodles may have gotten you through college, but it may be a few months till your 1^st closing, and you will need a lot more energy than that to be a productive agent!

2. Pick a company that has good support services; helpful brokers, mentoring agents, good technology, access to continuing education, and weekly happy hours ;-)

3. Never underestimate how important it is to be courteous to ALL other agents...you never know when you may have to show a buyer one of "Bob the Snob's" listings...

4. Remember, ethics are essential in real estate...all the extra money you could earn being "shady" may as well go towards your future lawsuit fund!

5. Here's a few just for the ladies out there: yard signs and stilettos don't mix! You may as well skip the full make-up routine when showing 10 or more houses in 90 degree weather. And on a serious note - be cautious out there! If you don't feel safe with someone, ask a fellow agent or your broker to come along.

6. Always be prepared (and optimistic) when you meet a client...this means keeping a box of blue pens, a stapler, blank forms of every kind, a camera, lock boxes, yard signs, and a mallet (for those yard signs!) in your car.

7. You will get tons of calls from advertising sales people claiming that their ads or promotional products will get you more clients than you can handle...ask them for a free test run, a sample, or some testimonials, or else...all the people on your holiday gift list may be receiving tape measures with your picture on them this year.

8. Don't blame yourself if some deals just don't work out or you just don't click with a client...ask an agent who's been in the business for decades...it's just going to happen, there's a bad apple in every bunch!

9. Never "assume" anything...I think we all know the saying that goes along with that one! Read the ENTIRE offer, ask the inspector a million questions if you have to, and make sure the closing attorney is actually OPEN the day of your agreed upon closing date ;-)

10. Network baby, network! Make sure your dentist, mechanic, mailman, and even the guy working at the local gas station know that you're an agent. Most people only buy or sell a house a few times during their life, and you never know when that time will be for someone...

Here is this Monday's Top 10...I am cutting it pretty close at 11:15pm! Enjoy!

1. The June edition of Men's Journal voted Park Circle to be one of the nation's "Coolest Communities" http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0609/628104.html

2. Awesome restaurants & bars like Sesame http://www.sesameburgersandbeer.com/ Evo Pizza http://evopizza.com/index.html Madra Rua Pub http://www.madraruapub.com/ and The Chart http://www.charlestonchart.com/

3. Wonderful "Eco-Friendly" subdivisions like Oak Terrace Preserve: http://www.oakterracepreservesc.com/

4. The area features a great community center with tennis, pool, baseball, and more http://www.northcharleston.org/Departments/Parks.aspx Plus, a disc golf course http://www.parkcirclediscgolf.com/

5. Park Circle always has terrific events going on...like the most recent Art Walk, Community Yard Sale, St. Patrick's Day celebration, and AgentOwned Park Circle's joint event with "The Chart" this past winter, supporting Toys for Tots...we raised 7 huge boxes of toys for donation!

6. Every Thursday, there's a Farmers Market full of delicious foods: http://www.northcharleston.org/Visiting/Shopping_FarmersMarket.aspx

7. Army Wives is filmed in the Charleston area, and East Montague (the "main street" of Park Circle) is a favorite setting for them...in fact they were shooting right outside our office last week. http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/army-wives/about

8. AgentOwned Realty of Park Circle offers excellent service to the local community and the entire metro area, and it's a great place to work too...I mean, look were we are located www.AgentOwnedParkCircle.com

9. The Noisette Project: a residential, industrial, commercial, and recreational area being reshaped to form a sustainable community http://www.noisettesc.com/

10. And of course, great priced homes! www.parkcirclehomesource.com

1. The Sales Associates, not company management, own all of the dividend stock of the company that holds their real estate license...our agents are actually Agent/Owners!

2. The AgentOwned Realty Co. is very proud to offer clients our new "Job Loss Protection Program" - exclusive to our company! http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/jun/08/agentowned_realty_offering_job_loss_prot85150/

3. We are fortunate to have an excellent in-house lender, Residential Mortgage of South Carolina, LLC...there's always a knowledgeable representative available to help prequalify our buyers. http://www.residentialscdailyrates.com/

4. Teamwork: all of our Agent/Owners work together to help get our clients' listings sold and to help find our buyers the right house. I know that I can seek advice, input, and assistance from any of my colleagues within a non-competitive work environment.

5. Agent/Owners enjoy a FREE marketing department - customized postcards, flyers, door hangers, and more!

6. The AgentOwned Realty Co. believes that a large scale investment in technology delivers a distinct competitive edge to its clients...our computer systems are unsurpassed in providing agents the information they need.

7. Our clients can obtain real estate services, mortgage services, home warranty plans, AND insurance through our company - we truly are a (pardon the cliché) "One Stop Shop"!

8. When you're an Agent/Owner with the AgentOwned Realty Co, you have the opportunity to earn revenue through multiple income streams, including our "Estate Plan"...grow your "tree" by adding other motivated professionals to our company. www.agentownedestateplan.com

9. The AgentOwned Realty Company offers comprehensive training through class room, company wide training seminars as well as a mentor program. Our company offers the following for FREE: 30 hour post licensing course required by the state of SC, 36 hour new agent training module, quarterly company training, and continuing education hours required by SC to renew the real estate license.

10. Disclaimer! No one is paying me to write this...although, maybe my broker will be so happy about this post that they will bring me some chocolate glazed donuts tomorrow ;-). But really, number 10 is...I have a lot of pride in my company and I would recommend it to any agent looking to join a wonderful team! http://www.agentowned.com/index.cfm