just because
Just because I feel like posting: a pretty, purple pansey…
Enjoy!
Builders Fumble the Ball
In the never ending effort to know what is on the market, I am constantly touring new homes. My endeavors often deliver mixed results. Some on-site greeters are there to meet me offering a warm welcome and information. Other times I find there is no one home, even when a person is standing in front of me.
New home builders have taken to hiring temporary workers to "babysit" the models in order to give the "regular" person a day off. The so called "babysitters" often tell me straight up, they don’t know anything about the home and if I want to know something, I’ll have to come back later. Hearing these words generally makes me cross the builder off my list. I already made the effort to show up, now give me the courtesy of respect and tell me about your home!
Sunday the Denver Post columnist Al Lewis wrote a good piece about market testers having similar experiences. It seems "real buyers" are finding nobody home at the models too.
What I find curious is why do builders spend so much money attracting consumers, then drop the ball at the most important point, first contact?
I wonder if builders shop themselves. Maybe if they did, they would find ways to improve the system.
A good builder representative knows the product inside and out. They will talk to you about the home, the construction techniques and what’s in store for the neighborhood. A good rep can make or break the sale.
My suggestion to builders is to partner with agents who would love to learn about their product and sit in the model on the off days for the regular on-site person. They in turn could be helpful in listing the homes of the builder’s new buyers. Of course builders might think this is a conflict of interest for them (wolf in the hen house). That might be right, depending on the ethics of the agent.
Of course the alternative would be to hire those sign twirler guys. Actually I think the sign twirlers would be as informative as the temps, at least more entertaining.
Tribute to Jeanne Assam ~ Not your ordinary hero
Yesterday yet another wacked out gunman went on a rampage. This time the scene of the crime was a church in Colorado Springs. The guy walked into the New Life Church and started shooting.
The hero came in a female form. She was a security guard, a volunteer security guard, no less. Her name is Jeanne Assam. She took responsibility beyond the norm, approaching the gunman when he was firing off rounds. Forty rounds they claim.
Jeanne took the guy out. In doing so she saved countless lives. I am amazed at your presence of mind and laser-like focus. You conquered fear and won.
Sometimes ordinary people do extraordinary things. Jeanne you rock!
Thank you.
UPDATE: As it turns out the wacked out gunman took his own life, the corner confirmed this yesterday. Of course if it weren’t for Jeanne confronting him, who knows how many more innocents would have been killed or injured.
[where: 80918}
Smelling the roses so to speak
Today was a glorious sunshiny Colorado day. One of my homes for sale needed more brochures on the sign, so I decided to do it myself. My listing is in Turnberry, a newer neighborhood in the Commerce City area.
While I was there, I couldn’t help but notice how lovely the neighborhood looked. The developer used Xeriscaping in the common areas. Xeriscaping is a term coined by golden Water. The practice is to use native grasses, shrubs and plants to help conserve water.
Colorado Xeriscaping has several guidelines to follow. Not only does it save time and water, but done well it is very appealing to look at.
The Seven Fundamental Principles of Xeriscape: (From the Xeriscape Colorado site)
- Plan and design for water conservation and beauty from the start
- Create Practical Turf Areas of manageable sizes, shapes and appropriate grasses.
- Select low Water Plats and group plants of similar water needs together. Then experiment to determine how much and how often to water the plats.
- Use Soil Amendments like compost or manure as needed by the site and the type of plants used.
- Use Mulches such as wood chips, to reduce evaporation and to keep the soil cool.
- Irrigate Efficiently with properly designed systems (including hose-end equipment) and by applying the right amount of water at the right time.
- Maintain the Landscape Properly by mowing, weeding, pruning and fertilizing property.
I so enjoyed the scenery today. Typically this time of year there is only one color, that drab brown. But this quaint community with it’s Denver highlights was very appealing. I found myself wanting to capture what I saw and share it with others.
Xeriscape is often confused with dry landscaping using only rocks, gravel and sand. This is so NOT true. A good xeriscape will have a variety of native plants that need no or very little water.
If you are interested in conserving our precious water, I suggest you look at the Colorado Xeriscape website for additional information and resources.
Take a drive around the Denver metro area, if you see a good example of homeowner xeriscaping, snap a picture and send it to me. Help me spread the word.
Let’s all stop to enjoy the xeriscape!
[where: 80222]
Colorado Hospitals Report Card
This year I had the experience of spending time in two hospitals. Not as a patient, but once as a wife and another as a daughter. My husband ended up as a patient in Sky Ridge Medical Center located in Lone Tree.
A few months later, my father became ill and became a patient at a 100 year old hospital in N.J. In fact it was the Jersey Shore Medical Center, the same hospital I was born in a few million moons ago.
The contrast between the two hospitals was vast, I can hardly compare the differences. The Colorado Hospital was run like a hotel, it was spotlessly clean, with attentive staff who provided outstanding care. My favorite part was how my husband was able to call “room service” when he was hungry. He was there for nearly a week and didn’t have one complaint.
The N.J. hospital experience was less than wonderful. My Father’s care was abysmal. He was left unattended for long periods of time, developed bed sores and other infections. Now granted older folks tend to develop issues younger folks don’t get. The fact he was left unattended on a floor that was supposedly “intensive care” was unforgivable. More than once me or my sister had to run in search of staff for assistance.
Given a chance to choose which hospital to go, I can assure you based on this experience I would never go back to Jersey Shore for care. But aside from my personal experience, how does one know where to go?
In this age of transparency where consumers are demanding to have information in order to make choices, Colorado has now stepped forward to provide exactly that! Last month Governor Bill Ritter unveiled a new website intended to help consumers make more informed medical choices.
The Colorado Hospital Report Card is available for all to review. It provides information about mortality rates and lists the number of cases each hospital handles for 34 procedures.
The information will be updated annually. Colorado hospitals are required to report on clinical measures so consumers can compare.
Now consumers can research a hospital and pick the one with the best track record. No more do we consumers have to make choices based on Blind Faith!
It might also raise the standard of hospital care in Colorado by bringing competition into the picture.
Overall transparency is good for everyone.
Hooray for Colorado by leading the way in the fight to improve health care. As a Denver Realtor need I say, it’s just one more reason to call Colorado home. 
[where: 80124]
Denver Holiday activities
Blossoms of Light
Dec 1, 2007 - Jan. 20, 2008
Denver Botanic Gardens
Candy Cane Festival
Dec. 1 & 8, 2007
Hammond’s Candies Factory, Denver
Downtown Denver’s Grand Illumination
November 23, 2007
From Union Station to Larimer Square, from Skyline Park to Denver Pavillions, culminating at City and County Building between 6:45 & 7:00 p.m.
Borrowing a Good Idea from Down Under…
Currently I am at the Real Estate Convention in Las Vegas. My weekend began with a solid action packed two day session of the Cyber Pros, a real estate master mind group that has been meeting twice a year for over a decade. The CP’s consist of some of the top real estate agent/brokers from around the U.S. We even have a member from Australia.
The purpose of the group is to meet and share ideas. The energy that fills the room is contagious, I leave with a head crammed full of fabulous marketing ideas that will keep me busy for the next 6 months!
So what did I get out of the 18 hours of CP streaming ideas? A lot! Let’s try this one on for starters…
As we all know, America is dealing with an increase in oil prices. We feel it every time we go to the gas pump. My little Lexus used to cost me $30 to fill the tank, now I try not to look at the revolving dial as it creeps up into the $40++ range. I gulp, pull out the Conoco card and move on with life. There is not much I can do about it other than limit my driving to what is necessary.
The sad thing is, we haven’t seen the worst of what may come with gasoline prices. Europeans pay far more than we ever have. The Australians I’m told pay an equivalent of $6 per gallon!
At prices like these, it is easy to understand why so many have been forced to change their lifestyles. One’s resources only go so far before you begin to make choices in lifestyle. Aussie’s have opted to live in urban areas, close to public transportation and everyday necessities. By doing this they can park the car, sell the 2nd car and use their resources in other ways.
As a result of living in an “efficient” location, financial institutions have programs that rate the “location” as efficient and recognize the fact the homeowner will portion their debt service differently. Loans for “efficient locations” are available, providing the homeowner with the means to purchase more in a home, since efficient locations are typically higher in cost.
If the Aussie’s can do it, why not us? The trend with Denver real estate is to live in higher density, urban settings, on or near the Light Rail line. Our TOD (Transit Oriented Developments) are in their infancy stages right now. As the TOD’s are being built and gasoline prices continuing to rise, maybe U.S. Lenders will develop a similar plan here.
What do you say Mortgage Companies? Are you up to the challenge? Let’s get creative and think about restructuring the ratios to benefit those who are making the effort to conserve.
Thanks for the Rocky Ride Rockies!
The World Series came to Denver and left. The anticipation of the event came and went before we ever really had time to digest what was happening.
The Rockies were out played by the Red Sox, no doubt about that. But and there always is a but…the Rockies are a young team. They’ll be back.
It’s been a great ride Rockies, thanks for the memories!
Putting out the flames doesn’t dim the love
As a tribute to the displaced people in San Diego County there’s not much I can do or say that will ease the pain. Having never lost a home I can’t evan stake claim to knowing what it feels like. It must be a horrible feeling.
Roberta Murphy who writes the Luxury Home Digest in San Diego blogged “San Diego Fires: Coming Home to Ashes” Roberta sums up the spirit of many residents who aren’t willing to give up their neighborhoods. Community spirit is alive and well for many. Instead of pulling up stakes and fleeing for safer territory, many plan to rebuild their lives exactly where the fire took everything from them.
Everything that is but their love of the area and each other.
It makes me wonder, what would it take to get me to move, to leave a place that is dear to my heart? As hard as it is to imagine the situation, I do believe I too would dig in my heels and pull together to rebuild. There’s strength in commitment. There’s power in a goal.
What better goal than to make something better than ever? You go San Diego County People!
You can do it.
(Photo Credit: Vissago ~ Flickr)
Meet the Bloggers ~ Las Vegas 2007
Every year the National Association of Realtors has a big convention. This year the Bloggers will be gathering to do hourly presentations. I am honored to be one of them.
Here’s the current schedule:
Schedule For Wednesday, Nov 14:
10:00 A.M. Damon Pace - IncredibleAgent Blog
11:00 A.M. Michael Price - MLBroadcast Blog, Mike’s Corner
12:00 P.M. Jay Thompson - The Phoenix Real Estate Guy
1:00 P.M. Lani Anglin - RERevealed Blog
2:00 P.M. Joel Burslem - The Future of Real Estate Marketing (Inman News)
3:00 P.M. Benn Rosales - AgentGenius.Com
4:00 P.M. Pat Kitano - Transparent Real Estate
5:00 P.M. Kevin Boer - 3 Oceans Real Estate
Schedule For Thursday, Nov 15
10:00 A.M. Daniel Rothamel - The Real Estate Zebra
11:00 A.M. David Gibbons - ZillowBlog
12:00 P.M. Kristal Kraft - Denver Real Estate Blog
1:00 P.M. Roberta Murpy - Luxury Home Digest
2:00 P.M. Jim Duncan - Real Central VA
3:00 P.M. Diane Cohn - Diane Cohn - Reno/Sparks Real Estate Blog
4:00 P.M. Nicole Nicolay - My Tech Opinion
More TBA!
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