Debra A. Brooks Lake Livingston Waterfront Specialist

Take Charge of Your Attitude and Sell More Real Estate!

IMHO...

Our attitudes, as well as our thoughts, actions and the love we choose to give are all CHOICES.

If you want a better attitude....make better choices.

Awake with a smile and a positive attitude and be glad to greet the day!

Be grateful there is work to be done. Boredom kills.

Quit grumbling and count your blessings. We all have them.

Thank our Nation for giving us the right and the choice to vote.

Thank our customers for being loyal.

Offer to help a friend, colleague, or client with no expectations.

Remind your clients that you will be there for them when they need you.

Allow yourself only two kinds of days....good and great. It's your choice.

Your answer to, "how is business" should be "GREAT." (would you want to do business with a whiney, gripey, naysayer? Not me...

Say, "thank you" with your heart. Even if you wish the outcome were different.

Open your mind to alternative thinking...work the mind without judgement.

Be glad to be here and others will be glad to be around you!

My list could go on for days...Just remember that if you place your best attitude forward you will acquire business. You are the kind of person everyone WANTS to work with.

Believe it. Live it.

Later in the rain~Deb

Allowing our economy to tank is like playing "follow the leader" and not looking where we are going. I have money in the stock market...oh, well. It tanked. You won't find me jumping out of any buildings or crying "poor me" on any corner. We should be just as happy when we're broke!

It just is...for now.

Remember when your mom said, "honey, don't follow the crowd please. Just do what you know is right and you will come out a winner?" All of our moms said something of the sort. Keep a strong mind and "will" and you can determine your future.

Do not let the media lead you into a DEPRESSION. Just don't do it. My philosophy is to keep taking one step after another. If you wear blinders to the negative you can continue on a "Positive" path.

Be sorry that others are in trouble and offer them a helping hand. And, keep your business on the same straight and narrow path. Don't forget the blinders and the faith. It will work for you and for anyone that attempts this belief.

If you've lost money then go make some more. You can do it.

Get creative and use your common sense.

Look at the sunset each day and realize just how lucky we are to be here and able to work.

Hug your family and tell them you love them and that is what is important. Do not forget to thank our "Overseer" for the bounty HE is providing..

Hang in there and transport yourself to childhood.

Remember walking the strand of the fair and seeing all the games that had HUGE TEDDY BEARS AND GIFTS luring you to try?

You lost most of the time but you won one or two didn't you?

Life and our economy is the very same today.

Just at a different level. Keep trying and you will win.

Later in the rain~Deb

Edited thanks to my girlfriend, Liz Moras that recreated my title.

Thanks, Liz.

When you have a home built or are dealing with CONTRACTORS...

Or, cleaning up after a storm....

Getting a JACK OF ALL TRADES can be devastating. With so many "iffy" contractors pouring in to help clean up after IKE, we must all be very, very careful.

1. Interview a minimum of three licensed contractors.

2. Get everything in writing.

3. Remember the specifics like quality of tile and paint.

4. Require them to provide you with a copy of their license.

5. Check references.

6. Agree on the time-line in writing.

7. Agree to a maximum of 10% overage.

8. Make sure the contractor will oversee the workers.

9. If you are living in the property place all valuables in the bank.

10. Plan to spend time watching the men too. If they dawdle you're paying for it.

11. Plan for rain days or sick days for the men.

12. Never, ever, give them money up front. A good contractor has credit.

13. Require all clean up be mandatory each day. Don't allow them to leave garbage.

14. Require your contractor be responsible for disposing of any debris.

15. Make sure to pick up any left behind nails.

16. Verify quality of all products as they come in. Windows, paint, tile and so forth.

17. Make sure all warranties are turned in with each product. Ceiling fans, appliances etc.

18. If there is major work like tearing out walls or using glue, plan to stay somewhere else.

19. Be prepared for a little trauma...it just is.

20. Hire a licensed inspector to review all work before work is totally complete.

21. Never hand over the final check with work still needing to be done. EVER...they won't be back.

Be very sure of the contractor you hire...don't get in a hurry. It could get worse!

Later in the rain~Deb

Boy, do I have an idea! I have always wanted to get together with "professionals" within the Real Estate business to network and learn.

I would like an easy going "open" forum where we can all relax, share and learn of new technologies and applications.

I want to meet with friends I have built relationships with through the network of Active Rain and its wonderful communities...I want to make new friends and expand my knowledge of the opportunities offered now and coming in the near future for the benefit of Real Estate.

I want to meet these two guys who seem to have the world on their side when it comes to business and computer savvy. Rich Jacobson and Brad Andersohn will be giving seminars for our Active Rain!

Check out REBarCamp Houston for the details. Meet ActiveRich and ActiveBrad. This could be the beginning of an explosive growth of gatherings to benefit YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS.

And, believe it or not it's FREE. Yes, I said FREE.

Sign in here to or go to the barcamp site and RSVP. October 22, 2008 is Houston's first REBarCamp and the day before the Houston Association of Realtors annual trade show in downtown Houston.

You don't want to miss it. We are going to have a ball.

Sponsors are still needed. For information contact Michael Price for more info (832) 331-4846

Oh yeah, here's my idea...DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!

I'll see you there.

Later in the rain~Deb

Ike, The Bay of Pigs and Me and Bobby MgGee...

I do have a tendancy to become fearful of storms. Growing up just outside of Camp Atterbury as a young child caused a major impact to my personality. Camp Atterbury was being used at the time for the "test bombing" operations. We were not allowed to be on the street when they were actively bombing so when a loud siren would sound we would scatter down the street and I would immediately end up under my bed. This was the Kennedy era and we were taught to climb under our desks at the sound of the siren in the sanctity of our classrooms. As a child I (we) were being taught that bombs or missles could begin to fly at any time. We faced the fear of the Bay of Pigs. Even as small children and today a loud boom such as thunder can rattle my world.

I want to say thank you to all my Active Rain friends that have helped me get through Ike. Your phone calls and concern is truly endearing to me. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers. My husband put his foot down and made me go to my Aunt June's house in Wichita Falls. Now, I'm glad he did.

We have two houses on our property. One is the main house and the other is used as our office. Our main house miraculously made it through IKE unscathed. We lost a few trees and large limbs.

The office took a hit from a tree and is experiencing a roof leak...just minor in my book. Hubby and the animals made it safe and sound. They are without any electricity and he told me it looked a bit like a war zone.

My daughter, her husband and children are fine. One street over from her a tree went into a neighbors home and killed the lady inside. So, not all were as lucky as we were.

FEMA is bringing in MRE, "meals ready to eat" just down the road from our home so Scott is taking advantage of that. I, on the other hand, am having a wonderful time with my Aunt June and cousin Ruby! I worry, yes. But, he was right about not staying there.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO OWE YOU THE SONG "ME AND BOBBY MAGEE" BECAUSE I'M ON DIAL UP! The song has been going through my head after hearing it on satellite radio on the way here. It warmed my heart and reminded me just how lucky I am to have this great network of friends!

I never thought I would appreciate dial up this much! I grow older by the minute waiting for the pages to load but hey....it could be so much worse. I am counting my blessings.

Thank you friends...hopefully we can get back to normal soon.

Later in the rain~Deb