About Chittenden County, VT

So I emailed homethinking.com support with a simple question: "How do you get your sales data?" I received this response:

Many thanks for your email Pike.

Basically, we try to notice a Realtor is representing a property by monitoring public data, and then we check the county records to see if the house ended up selling. But that method can be prone to errors in some parts of the nation where the county record data may not be updated in a timely manner.

Also, you can change anything on your profile via a free a tool that lets you manage your listings activity and change those that are selling to sold.

Claim your profile here (it's free):
http://www.homethinking.com/realtorcheckprofile.action?realtorId=931934&claimType=basic&routing=profile

And then you'll be taken to an area where you can change your activity.

If there is anything I can do to help, just let me know and my apologies once again.

Best.
Niki

Niki Scevak - Founder
Homethinking LLC
_________________________________________
phone: (646) 257-4099 | fax: (646) 224-6950
post: PO Box 4668 #9550, New York NY 10163

I find it interesting that Niki apologizes (again?), though I don't make a complaint. Do they receive complaints often enough that they assume any email from an agent is a complaint? Is she aware I am an agent? I did not send my question through my business email. Perhaps she found me on active rain...

Hold on...wait a minute....just a second....

Yes Niki Scevak is on Active Rain. Or was; it doesn't seem she has used the site since 2007. I don't think this is how she may have discovered I am an agent. A simple google search for "Pike Porter" would have put the question to rest. I did find that several agents ask buyers and sellers to read reivews of them on homethinking.com. Some agents find it useful. I also found this Active Rain blog post from September 7th, 2006:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/7316/what-the-heck-were-they-homethinking-com-with-this-turkey-

So, in the process of getting my new agency updated in the bing.com local listings, I come across two reviews of my two largest competitors in Chittenden County, Lang and Hickok Boardman. "Interesting," think to myself suspiciously, "who reviews real estate agencies on yelp.com or judysbook.com?" Judysbook.com, who even heard of judysbook.com?

Well, Greg S. had and made it a point to review Lang Associates, now Lang Mclaurghy Spera, on August 20th, 2006.

It was the only review he ever wrote--ever--no restaurant reviews, book reviews, movie reviews--none of the reviews people ordinarily post for the world to see. But he went out of his way to write a review of his real estate agency. Huh.

I'm no less suspicious of the Coldwell Banker Hickok Boardman's review found on yelp.com Sybil C.'s review even included an upload of the company logo. Now that is one dedicated patron.

But who knows, perhaps the companies had nothing whatsoever to do with the posting of these reviews. There was a website out there at one point in time that tried to rate agents. The site accumulated some, very little, sales data and ranked agents by some formula. It so happened that most of the data was sales from Century 21, my former agency. I was it's top ranked agent. While I was pleased to see positive rating, I was a bit miffed that a website would rate anyone or anything, the same system could give an agent an equally poor rating for a similar random set of data.

Wait...Hold on...I wanna check something...Yes, the site is still online: homethinking.com. Unfortunatly, I'm no longer the top ranked agent...but I am still ranked as a Century 21 agent based on my performance 2 years ago. Good to see they are reviewing their data set frequently.

You can't believe everything you read online.

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The return of warm weather makes hangin' out on my front porch with its eye popping views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains dreamy. Lazing and pondering ALL that we have to fit in before the inevitable return of YOU KNOW WHAT...

Here we go with my biased and utterly incomplete Fun List of things to do in Charlotte VT this summer. Oh, this really is THE BEST time of year in this amazing little town:

• Wow, this little gem is worth the price of admission. Right now. Don't miss out! For the next two weeks, you have to see it to believe it. The firefly display in the meadows across from Mount Philo State Park is psychadelic. The southern 60 acre meadow at the intersection of State Park Road and Mt Philo Road is where the evening's silent fireworks display takes place. Imagine undulating waves of blinking lights acre after impossible acre. You won't regret it! (let your eyes adjust to the dark for 30 mins prior for the full affect)
• Breakfast sandwich at the Old Brick Store and a latte on the front porch catching up with familiar faces.
• Tennis at the town courts followed by a running plunge off the town docks into Lake Champlain
• Rick's Barbecue Shaved Pork Sandwich for lunch at the Little Garden Market
• Hanging on my front porch for no reason at all
• Uncle Sam's for your dose of burger, fries, shakes and, last but absolutely not least, a cremee
• Take your bike on the Charlotte to Essex NY ferry for a lovely ride and a meal on the NY side. Essex is alive and charming in the summer.
• Hike up Mt Philo for the best sunset hang out around
• Berry picking at the Charlotte Berry Farm
• Join one of Charlotte's CSA farms (Community Supported Agriculture) for yummy, healthy, local, organic vegetables all summer
• Pizza on a picnic table at Pizza on Earth on a warm, summer evening. Wonderful!!
• Bicycling Charlotte's roads. Sublime.

PLEASE add your own favorites to this list by placing your comments here at Hurd's The Word. If you have questions about buying a home or property, please call me at 802.238.5256 or email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.

Wow!

This IS the year for Lake Champlain. We will all be celebrating the 400th year since Samuel de Champlain first explored our region on his daring expedition. Lots will be happening so don't miss out!!! Have fun and we'll see you there!

• Burlington Vermont Celebrates Lake Champlain (July 2nd - 14th)
• Independence Day Fireworks Celebration Burlington Waterfront (July 3rd) (tip: get there early)
• Sailing Regatta for Lake Champlain (July 25th)
• Lake Champlain Maritime Festival (August 14, 15 & 16)
• Take A Sailing Lesson at the LCCSC on the Waterfront in Burlington VT
• Take your boat to the Basin Harbor Club for the day or overnight
• Sunset and Cookout at North Beach in Burlington VT
• Take One of the Lake Champlain Ferries for a Sunset Cruise, Full Moon Rise or both!!
• Rent a Kayak or Canoe at North Beach in Burlington Vermont
• Dinner & Drinks & Sunset at Splash Cafe on the Community Boathouse Docks in Burlington

PLEASE add your own favorites to this list by placing your comments here at Hurd's The Word. If you have questions about buying a home or property, please call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or go to my website at Burlington Vermont Real Estate.