About Berkeley County, WV

I have written a few previous posts about online classes that I have taken through Realtor University. I have always been very intrigued by commercial real estate, coming from a background including a lot of commercial construction. Realtor University has just started offering a class entitled Discovering Commercial Real Estate. I decided it was a class I couldn't pass up. The class is not going to make you an expert in commercial real estate but it does give you all the info you need to make an informed decision about whether commercial real estate is for you. After taking the course I am definitely going to persue commercial real estate but I have a better understanding of how to do it and what niche I can fit into. I hope this can help someone! Thanks

Check out the course at: http://www.learninglibrary.com/realtoruniversity/

Aaron Poling

Long & Foster

www.aaronpolingsblog.com

When i take on a listing, i belive that the mls system is our most powerful tool. I would also like to say that the picure on the mls is the first thing that customer and agents look at. In most cases if there is not a picture the listing will not even get looked at. Below i have listed a few things about listing pictures that i do.

1. Do not submit a listing without a photo. This is something that i cant personally belive that agents do.

2. Post multiple photos. It doesnt take too long to snap a few photos while your already walking a house. Please tell me that you are walking your listings.

3. Edit your photos. It only take an extra minute to run your photos through Publisher or any number of other photo programs.

4. Take some spring time photos. If the pictures of your listing has something covered in snow please take a new photo. This also applies to new construction photos, when the house is complete, take a fresh photo.

5. Clean up your photos. If there is a trash can in the photo, move it before you take a picture. If your taking your main picture and there is a window unit a/c, see if you can get it moved. There are lots of these examples but just use common sense. Make sure you have homeowner permission before moving anything.

6. Take neighborhood photos. With lots of developments there are great views, or amenities that would be great to show as part of your package. Not too many agents do this, so you can set yourself apart.

These are just a few ideas, but the point is pictures are a valuable resource so dont ignore it. You owe it to your lising and to yourself! Thanks for reading.

Well, as I am sure many of you will agree, moving is never an easy decision or endeavor. When we opened our satellite office several years ago, we knew that it would be temporary until we took off in the shadow of our well established sister office.

Thanks to our success and the support of our corporate office, we have been able to make a strategic move despite the current economic times.
This speaks volumes of Long & Foster's confidence in its agents.

For the record:

• Founded 1968
• Over 200 offices
• 13,700 Sales Associates
• Largest independently owned brokerage firm in the Mid-Atlantic region
• #1 Privately owned real estate company in the nation
• Offers their sales associates a pertinent cutting edge education on changing trends

Need I say more as to why I have been with this company for over 15 years!
Location, location, location has long been the touted adage regarding real estate and now I'm pleased to say we have the best of all worlds. Stop by and see me for all your real estate needs.

For anyone that put off filing their taxes until the last minute, well this is the last minute. April 15th my personal least favorite day of the year. It used to not bother me, but that was when i worked for someone else and recieved a check. Now that i am an independent contractor, i always have to pay no matter what i do. I just thought i would remind everyone that may have forgotten. FILE YOUR TAXES!!

After taking our Real Estate Exams in Charleston, West Virginia, Melissa and I took a trip over to the capital Building. I was amazed at how beautiful it was. The inside is mostly made of marble. Below are a few pictures, hopefully they do justice to my state capital. Across the street from the capital is the Kanawha River, i tried to capture a picture of a coal barge sailing down the river but my picture isnt the greatest. If you have a chance to visit the West Virginia State Capital its worth the Trip!