Concord NH~Joni~Merrimack County

Many of us have found satisfaction in incorporating Community Involvement as part of our    Realtor Image. Getting involved with a Local Church or Organization (profit or non-profit), not only enhances our image and increases our self-worth. Getting involved is giving back.

For the past 5-6 years I have been on the Board of The Parent Information Center (PIC).
PIC is a non-profit whose mission is Guiding and Encouraging Families in Supporting the Unique Learning Potential of Their Child.

Unfortunately, like so many other non-profits, PIC is feeling the effects of the times.

 The continued downturn in our economy is putting a huge strain on all community and socially based organizations. 
Dollar's are stretched thin, donations are down, Grants are more restrictive and competitive....everyone is seeking the same dollar.

I recently came across a site that will allow people to donate to their favorite cause....for Free!!


Some of you may have heard of it but the concept is new to me.It's called Good Search.

Good Search is a Tool Bar with a Search Engine powered by Yahoo. Good Search gives a penny to your Organization every time their Search Engine is used.
All you do is add the name of your non-profit to the Good Search list. Then every time you do a "search" they get a penny.
If you only input one recipient originally...that will be the receiver default till changed.
Good Shop is also a feature on the tool bar. If you shop on line through Good Shop your Organization will also get a penny.

Think how many times you"Google" for information! ...
Do you shop much on line??....
Have the other members of the Group use it too....
Add it to your Web-Page or Newsletter ....

The possibilities are endless....as are the $$$

So go ahead and check out this opportunity for your own "pet project" but before you move on....
Give a penny to mine!

I was just reading a Blog, by long time Rainer Carole Provenzale, about her new group Link Love.
  
It's been an embarrassingly long absence for me from this Forum but back in the Good Old Days of 2007, when this forum was considerably smaller....a lot of emphasis was put on sharing and encouragement. Hints were passed on and personal info was shared. Professional knowledge was freely given as were suggestions, examples and tutorials on improving your own AR presence.

For me, a true Newbie, the generosity of the folks who contributed on here helped immeasurably!

I am so glad to see the spirit has been kept alive. Carole's new group will be my way to feel that spirit....all over again!

~~

Have you met Yvette Lopez-Robinson? Yvette commiserated with me about my recent "State of Funk".

(Seems she has been residing there too! )

She hasn't been on AR long but is looking to grow her presence. Check out her latest Blog on texting. I'm betting you have an opinion!

And while you're at it....pass on that Love! 

While I Was Sleeping  


Up until this past year or so I spent a good portion of my time working on "improving
my web presence" I actively blogged (usually daily) I interviewed local Merchants
for Community pieces.....all to get myself to the top of the Google List. I also wrote
published and mailed a monthly Brochure to my Client List.
I worked really hard!!!

This past year plus has been a bit of a fog for me.
I've gone through the motions (or "walked the walk and talked the talk" as they say)
I've crossed the it's and dotted the I's . I've done my best for the clients I've worked
with.....But that's where the efforts ended.
I paid my dues, attended my meetings (well most of them), put on a smile and moved my
positive foot forward.
I was doing OK.....(or so I told myself!)

Till now......

Last week I checked the stat counter on my website.( I hadn't done much on the website
lately either) I was momentarily pleased....I was still getting hits (though noticeably
fewer) on my Statistics and Events pages! And then it dawned on me....I hadn't updated
in ?????? They were looking at totally irrelevant information.
I hadn't written on my Blog since last October and before that last March. My Google ranking has gone  from Page 1 to non-exsistant!
My contacts on my Client List probably thought I'd left the business....or worse.

Well the rooster has crowed and I've finally awoken...

I am updating my Blog, I've joined Facebook, I'm working on my website and recently have started an "E" newsletter (still can't afford postage and paper). 
It's time to work on my SEO and get back to page one.

It's time to get ready for the good times....they say they're coming!
When they do....I'll be ready...I'm well rested!

Alphonse and Gastonwas an American comic strip by Frederick Burr Opper, featuring a bumbling pair of Frenchmen with a penchant for politeness.
The strip's premise was that both were extremely polite, constantly bowing and deferring to each other. Neither could ever do anything or go anywhere because each insisted on letting the other precede him.(Wikipedia)

Yesterdays closing should have been without incident.

My Clients ,The Buyers, of a Bank Owned property had cleared through their financing in record time. They were happy with the agreed upon price and the Seller (NHHFA) had even granted concessions on Closing Costs. The Home Inspection revealed no surprises and we were set to close.

(I should have known better)

WE had our early afternoon walk-thru and headed back to the office for closing.
When I came through the door My Buyers Mortgage Broker was sitting there with his head in his hands....I had that sinking feeling....

It seems the Seller was refusing to sign all of the closing papers. In order to limit any possible hint of any liability....they will only sign 3. (the deed,the title and the HUD). On the other hand, The Buyers Lender insists on having 5 signed. The 3 above and two other innocuous ones (something about correctness of address)
Neither would give....we were at a standoff. And all of the decision makers were at lunch.
My Buyers were beside themselves.

When the "lunch-goers" returned, at least an hour was spent going back and forth with each player insisting that they were right and the other should give in....as a result....nothing was happening!
At that point the closing attorney announced that he had one card up his sleeve. He went into the other room to make a call. He returned with a big grin on his face.

WE WERE OK !!!

It seems 25 years ago he had worked with one of the decision makers at NHHFA. He explained our situation and she said....in a human, sensible, logical NH fashion...well that's just silly! I have no problem signing those. It was as simple as that!

We were fortunate to be able to circumvent the red-tape with a personal contact.
Most others are not so lucky!
How many other transactions have been stopped in their tracks for such foolishness?
Whatever happened to common sense and people power?

I'm still shaking my head ........
.

The headlines were there. Bold and in your face!

On October 18th our local paper, The Concord Monitor, reprinted an article by David Brooks of the Nashua Telegraph.
The article was yet another Housing "State of the State" based on statistics and opinions of  NHAR

                                             
N.H. home sales increase while prices keep sliding
 Median price falls 8 percent in year (By David Brooks - The Telegraph)
~~~~~~~~~

The article went on to point out that NH home sales were up 3% over the same quarter in 2008.  A spokesman for NHAR was quoted as saying he believed that the increase in sales plus the decrease in inventory will eventually lead to an increase in prices.

Now....I may be naive when it comes to the nuances of Marketing. And I, as much as most, want to believe that our Market is improving. But where is the fine line between Hype and Help? How much is wishful thinking? How much is "if we build it they will come"?

These types of Headlines are not only local..... you can hear about how "it's getting better" on any given day in any News Publication or TV Network. Bits and pieces of positive news blown completely out of proportion ....3 little pixels presented as the whole picture.

I think we will all agree that sales have seen improvement these past few months....it's amazing what the promise of $8,000 will do! And yes, I do believe the Inventory has dropped... Bargain Sale foreclosures, some loosening of Lender hurdles and $8,000 will help with that.

But that isn't the whole picture! The articles fails to mention the new Foreclosures anticipated because of ARM's resetting this year, the new Foreclosures anticipated as unemployment starts to effect Mortgage payments. They also ignore the plight of people on fixed incomes who can no longer wait it out....and are forced to sell.
None of these "News" sources point out that it has taken years for us to borrow, spend, speculate and over-extend ourselves into this position. And we are not going to wake up some sunny morning and find it all has passed. That's just not going to happen

I for one want them to tell it like it is....I'm a big girl, I can take it.
I want to be able to tell my Sellers that they need to be making decisions on what is now....not on what someone is telling them "is coming"
My Buyers on the other hand, are beyond being sucked in anticipating a "bargain".  They have developed a lase' fare attitude and are taking their time.  At this point I'm thinking the only thing that could make them take note would be a rise in Interest Rates!

Ordinarily I am not a pessimistic person, and when it comes to my business....I appreciate an occasional infusion of Hope. But lately....in my humble opinion....it's really starting to look like Hype

One of our long standing contributors to Active Rain, Joan Whitebook, just received The NHAR Good Neighbor Award.

Joan's championship of the New England Pet Partners organization is familiar to all of us who read her Local, Informative and Interesting Posts here on Active Rain.

This is just another example of the caliber of folks we find here on Active Rain.

I'd love to see everyone jump over to Joan's Blog and give her a "High Five"
I'm betting it will make her day!

Joan Mirantz~Concord New Hampshire Area Realtor

Concord NH Area Realtor

Concord Area NH Realtor

One of the perks, of our recent move, was that our new place had a Doggie Door.
This was fantastic!
No more having to get up from that comfortable chair..... or out of bed early to "let the dogs out".

Tidbit and Dandi had other ideas...   

We tried pushing, tempting with snacks, clapping, pleading and cajoling.....to no avail. They wanted no part of it! They wouldn't venture through that little hole with the scarred thick plastic leading to... who knows where?

We cleverly decided to replace the plastic with screening.

Observations:

Dandi...led with his foot "feeling out" what lies ahead. (But his claws got caught.)
Tidbit...led with her nose so she could see before she went. (But her sight is failing and she couldn't see the screen.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now..... how about you?

How do you approach the "doggie door" of new technology? Do you do Newsletters, Twitter, Text, do Social Networking Sites? Do you add the Widgets, check the Stats and Link the Links?

Or......

Are you a Dandi feeling it out....(but pulling back because it's "uncomfortable"?)

Or a Tidbit....not even venturing out...(because you can't "see" the value?)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Solution:
We edged the screening with bight red duct tape. It slid over Dandi's paws and attracted Tidbits eye!
                                                                       

What's your Solution?

                                                                       Are you a Dandi or a Tidbit???



                                                        

Concord NH Area Realtor