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Tim Moncrief, Co-Owner-Bartlett RE Group

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Happy 4th from Austin: Why Austin??????

07-02-09
Tim Moncrief, Co-Owner-Bartlett RE Group
River Place austin
HAVE A SUPER JULY 4TH FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why would one move to Austin????
Click to find out.......

Here are some lists where Austin ranks near or at the top:

  • Best Bang for the Buck Cities
  • 10 Cities where Americans are relocating
  • Top 10 Cities for Jobs i
  • Best Cities for Recession Recovery
  • Best US Places to Raise a Family in
  • Most Attractive People in America
  • Best US Cities to have a Baby
  • Austin is the 2nd Fastest Growing City in the Nation
  • Best City for a Fresh Start
  • Best Cities for Singles
  • The Healthiest Housing Market
  • Best US Cities for High Tech Jobs



6 Comments
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275 slaps in the face to make me a better man........Thanks AR members, alot!!!

07-02-09
Tim Moncrief, Co-Owner-Bartlett RE Group
I can not thank enough for all the replies from you guys on my blog last week, "3 Reasons why you should NEVER EVER hold an OPEN HOUSE". Mind you, it was a bit of a challenge to go through 275 replies, but I promise that I read everyone, and directly emailed several of you with your witty replies.

The post did not take off at all as members were flying through it not catching my disturbed sense of humor. So I went back and revised the post with the words "READ SLOWWWWLLLLLYYY". Then the post took off like a rocket as most caught the off beat humor. Others did not, and it was quite interesting to see the differences in the replies.

Some scolded me at the thought of not holding open house; others totally agreed with me that open houses were a total waste of time, the majority loved the witty satire; but, my favorites, were the members that actually read not only through my post slowwwwllllyyy, but they also read the comments. Mind you there were 275 replies. Some of their comments were absolutely hilarious.

So one little post taught me more than the previous 468 sent. Part of this because allot of my previous blogs stunk, but I learned so much how to appreciate and read slowwwlllly the content of others blogs. Many of the really good bloggers (I would not be included in that list) spend or appear to spend an enormous amount of time in thinking of what they want to say and how they want to say it and the look they want to present it in.

So I feel pretty bad about some of the 10 worder comments I have made in the past on some of the incredible posts prepared by the best of the best. This experience was a good slap in the face for me, and I thank all.....but geeeez.....those 275 slaps tend to hurt.....

I am a better man after one blog.
7 Comments
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So what is the POINT of getting POINTS? I really don't get it.........

06-27-09
Tim Moncrief, Co-Owner-Bartlett RE Group
I am trying to determine the purpose of both "POINTS" and rankings.  Before I whine a bit, let me make it very, very clear that AR has been a fantastic boost to me in my real estate business.  Well, partially AR, but mostly agents like you.  So many thanks.  Here are a few areas that cause me to use AR:
  1. To learn from those who know more than I.
  2. To teach to others who know less than I.
  3. To build relationships with agents throughout the globe.
  4. To increase search engine exposure for listings and our website
What is not on there is to gain direct business, as that was not part of my original game plan in joining AR.  Maybe it should be a point.  Maybe it is a point indirectly through increased internet exposure.  I don't know.

MY WHINE IS THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE POINTS AND THE RANKINGS.  Maybe it is too soon for me to whine.  I always set goals to keep me motivated at what I want to achieve.  So achieving certain point levels does motivate me to keep posting and keep reading.....keep learning...keep teaching....keep building relationships....and keep increasing internet exposure.

But is that it?  I honestly don't know.  So I have "x" amount of points; so I rank as "#y" in the area.  Does anyone really care?  Have I ever had anyone other than an agent contact me because of my ranking.  Never.  Is it because my blogs stink?  Maybe, but even if you stink at something, if you are towards the top of anything, you normally get contacts.  I know of some awful agents that get calls solely because of their ranking.  I get calls because or our sales ranking; but, I never have gotten a call from my ranking on AR.

I write this as see zero need to be #1 (Don't worry, I am waaaaay to far from that being a reality).  I ponder if the point structure should be completely revised as one of the main goals is to build relationships.  Perhaps there should be some credit for a post and some credit for replies (with a minimum character count); but, the huge focus should be on adding associates and creating referrals to each other.  Maybe this is in this system, but it is not evident to me or any other agent that I talk to.  I guess the point is how do we make AR a site of building relationships as the highest priority, as getting 200,000 points next month won't bring be me a dime.

The idea is not much different than Facebook, save instead of friends the big focus would be other agents either as "associates" or referrals as the main target, not points.  I have made an awful lot of money with relationship; I have made nothing with points.

That my whine of the day; now for my wine of the day.
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Are you seeing the crazy activity we are seeing?????????

06-22-09
Tim Moncrief, Co-Owner-Bartlett RE Group

I just wanted to pass on some shocking stats as our local area market has increased quite dramatically over the past month.

Last month our farm area of a bit over 6000 homes had 35 closings for the month. At the beginning of this month the pendings sored to over 60 and are now at 83 with 22 of the pending closing earlier this month. Normally June is the month where sale either barely beat or barely lose to May in our area.

It is quite evident that the closings will far exceed the closings of last month. A very high percentage of the pendings are showing closing date estimates for this month. Whether that happens, we will know in the coming week.

We are seeing activity not seen in over 12 months in our area where we are starting to see multiple offers coming in and at full price. We are quite puzzled at the amount of activity and why it happened 30 days ago. Some say the interest rate increases, some say the stock market, some say....whatever.

The bottom line is that we are seeing optimism in the market not seen in a long time. For us, it has only been a year or so. Hopefully others are seeing this trickle in other areas of the country.

I only hope that this is truly a light at the end of the tunnel and not the light of a freight train. We shall see, won't we?

8 Comments
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OK, I was wrong! Thank you appraisers, lenders, & our system for 1/2 month escows!!!

06-22-09
Tim Moncrief, Co-Owner-Bartlett RE Group

Boy, do I feel bad and good at the same time. I feel bad as I was making jokes about 2 agents that we contracted with to buy a home in the $700's and one in the $400's on the 6th and 11th of this month with closings of the 22nd (today) and the 26 respectively.

What has gone on in the lending and appraisal world, these agreements were ridiculous; and, I prepared my sellers for extensions well into July. A 16 day close and a 15 day close. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

Well, I am here to admit I was dead wrong. I apologize for joking behind the agent's back, not believing in the lending industry with handcuffs, and definitely not believing in the new appraisal system. Well, last month, our best closing had appraisal time of 9 days and the worst was 22 days. One was longer but the deal flew away in the wind.

Both homes appraisals came in last week, and both came in above sales price. This was a MAJOR concern as our area market is going through a major positive shift over the last 30 days and I had zero confidence that the appraisers would recognize the shift. One of the homes had a like home that just closed 3 days before contract at 10% below our full price contract. The other had no comps whatsoever in the past 6 months. So I thought my pessimism was in line.

I am totally shocked that this system has adjusted so quickly since the regulations went into place. I have mud on my face now, but I also have one closing down and another already set to close on Friday with HUD in place. Perhaps this is not to say that all loans will be like this, but having these two happen this month is beyond shocking. Now the problem converted to finding my sellers a place to move to much quicker than I budgeted.

I guess that is the bad news that we like to hear. God bless our American system of fixing systems within itself. Capitalism continues to prove itself as the best system in the world if kept in check.

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