Tere Rottink

Below is a look at the trend for the past three months in Norfolk, Virginia.
These statistics are obtained from REIN, the multiple listing service and are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. They do include all sales.

Contrary to news reports houses are still selling, but there are many more homes on the market than in previous years.

Bank owned, and goverment owned properties accounted for 25 sales in March, 20 in February and 13 in January.

Short sales are difficult to determine as agents input the information in different manners in to the MLS

Please call me if you'd like to buy or sell your home in Norfolk, Virginia. I'd be happy to talk with you and help you determine the best pricing whether you are buying or selling. For more information, please visit my website .

Closed Sales	Closed Sales	Closed Sales
	January	February	March
Norfolk listings	90	107	128
Average Price	$223,923	$169,972	$209,664
Days on the Market	95	92	97

	Off Market	Off Market
	January	February	March
Expireds	107	65	87
Withdrawn	144	148	139
Reduced	85	85	86

To buy or sale real estate in the Chesapeake, Norfolk, Virginia Beacha, Portsmouth or Suffolk, Virginia visit my website at www.TereRottink.com

When I became a real estate agent, my mentor at the time talked about his BNI ( Bussines Network International)group often. The market was starting to slow down, and he tried to empower his trainee's on going out and finding their own clients. He had started his own team and with new responsibilities did not have time to participate in BNI, any more. He gave his position to his favorite agent, and he in turned was getting great referrals.

I started looking for a BNI group in our local area, and although I applied with a couple of them, no group would give me a chance. I was a brand new agent. Consideration to my large business card holder, and that I had been investing for several years didn't impress them. I received a phone call from a lady that I had met on some of the original training. I specifically remembered her, as she was very personable. She was starting a group with another young woman who was a financial adviser. I yelled in delight "I will be your real estate agent." We had our first meeting and decided that I would be vice-president. (I did not want to work that hard). The name "Strategic Alliance." The local organizers sent a couple of people to our first meeting, and we had another two members within two weeks.

If you want to be lazy in BNI, the last position you want is Vice-president, especially in a new group. You will be doing several jobs. That first year, I dedicated at least two days a week to BNI. Also, that first year, I only received one good referral. Was it worth it? Absolutely, last year (my second in BNI) my income was almost 50 % BNI referrals..

For those that have never heard of it, BNI is the largest referral organization in the world. The only purpose of meeting once a week is to exchange referrals. There is no competition, as there can only be one person per each profession. There are almost 20 members now, and I am the original founder left in the group. The other two ladies have moved on with their professions. One is a supervisor; the other owns her own restaurant.

There are almost 20 professionals in our group, and after countless meetings, one to ones and get togethers, I consider these people my friends. Whenever I need one of their professions, I can safely say that my clients will be very well taken care of. There are rules and expectations. Our group follows the format to the letter, and I think this has been one of the reasons we are a successful group. Visit our website, and if you are in a profession that is not part of our group, and would like to have a sales force dedicated to finding you businesses come join us. We meet every Tuesday at 8AM at 228 N. Lynnhaven Road, Unit 130, Virginia Beach VA

To buy, sell or invest in real estate in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth or Suffolk, Virginia visit my website. TereRottink.com

Pocket Tazer Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife. A guy who purchased his lovely wife a pocket Tazer for their anniversary submitted this:

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse- sized tazer. The effects of the tazer were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety....??

WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button and pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs.

AWESOME!!!

Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right? There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately y on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and tazer in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.

All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible way!' What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best.. .?

I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, 'don't do it stupid,' reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and . .
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD . . WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION . . . WHAT THE ....!!!

I'm pretty sure Hulk Hogan ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs? The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.

Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a tazer, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor.. A three second burst would be considered conservative?

A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally was. My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I had no control over the drooling.

Apparently I pooped on myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my sense of smell was gone. I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I believe came from my hair. I'm still looking for my nuts and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return!

P.s... My wife, can't stop laughing about my experience, loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it!

If you think education is difficult, try being stupid !!!

To buy or sell Real estate in the Hampton Roads area visite my website

www.TereRottink.com

I really wanted to post this yesterday, but even a day late this is a true story I want to share. This happened maybe 25 years ago.

I am sure you all know Ricky Martin, if not, click on the link and you remember his most popular song. Living La Vida Loca"

As a pre-teen Ricky Martin was a member of "Menudo"a group that reminded me of the "Menudo" a Hispanic version of the Jonas brothers of today.

They were very successful in all of South America. Mind you in Colombia menudo means tripe, usually goat, or cow. It is cooked as part of a regular barbecue.

Getting back to my story. So on April's fool day, which is actually December 28th in and is called "Innocent's day", Same as here people play pranks on each other.

At the time there were only two TV channels, ( it's been a long time, can't remember that far) and in the daily news the very serious TV announcer told the audience that "Menudo" was arriving that after noon at the airport.

Within hours there was a huge crowd of screming girls at the airport waiting for the arrival of the "Menudo" group. Of course, with all the exitement girsl fainted, and as this was not a planned the airport was not prepared for the event. Thousands of girls and their mothers waited excitedly for the famous cute boys.

After hours of waiting, out of the Airport came out five young men carrying this:

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No kidding. Happy April fool's day.

PS. I think the newspaper man lost his job, or was suspended. It was a huge deal, but I can't remember that far.

To buy or sale real estate in the Hampton Roads area visit my website. http://www.tererottink.com/

Thanks to who tagged me last week ... So I hope this is worth it. It has taken me 4 tries to upload it.

1) Type out all the Questions below and answer them with a picture.

2) Tag 5 people and spread the love out. That is it.

1. Age at my next birthday: (I am at an age where you don't tell your age in public.)

2) Favorite Movie or TV Character: both Mr Darcy and Colin Firth.

3) Place I want to travel: Greece

4) Favorite Food:

5) Favorite Place:

6) Nickname (Yeah Tere is a nick name. )

7) Favorite color:

8) Favorite Sports Team: My husband's hockey team. He is the hunk on the top left.

9) My favorite hobby:

10) Bad Habit-- Desserts

Now I have to tell 5 other people and have them look for pictures all over the net for the next 24 hours so they can do one of these...

Be sure you come back here and leave a link to your Meme in the comment section and let the people you tag know they have been tagged!

Sandy Shores

Matt Listro

Jim Cheney

Barb Szabo

Lynn Bratchett Welcome to AR