First Blog Posts

We've all heard of Notary Publics, (or notaries for short), but are you aware of some ways that Real Estate agents benefit by partnering with a certified, professional Notary Signing Agent? What is a Notary Signing Agent (NSA)?The NNA (National Notary Association) is the certifying body for Notary Publics and explains that Notary Signing Agents are "commissioned Notaries that facilitate loan closings for the mortgage finance industry." In order to become a certified Notary Signing Agent, Notaries must: *Maintain their state commission in good standing*Successfully pass a state and national background screening*Maintain an adequate amount of Errors & Omissions insurance*Complete a loan signing training course to become an NNA certified Notary Signing Agent.Signing Agents specifically tra... 01/25/2022

While progressing through this course, it has become evident that there are a number of different ways for an individual to lose their license. These different reasons spam from misrepresentation, all the way to misconduct in a professional capacity. While their are more than enough ways for an individual to lose their license, there were two that stood out to me above the rest.One of the features that I believe any successful real estate agent has to have is honesty. Not only is honesty something that is essential to being a productive real estate agent, I truly believe that it is one of the most important traits a person can possess in general. Any relationship requires honesty from both parties in order to be sustainable. Whether it be marriage, a friendship, or a business partnershi... 01/24/2022

Please check out this opportunity for an income producing turn-key ready property! Call me for details! https://karrieplaisance.cbintouch.com/media/id/18892703/   01/23/2022

  Part 1: An introduction My AirBnB in Houston!Last October, my girlfriend and I decided to convert my guest bedroom into an AirBnB. After months of designing, painting, furnishing, and installation, we thought we were finally finished with the project. But when we listed the room on AirBnB, I realized the number of knobs I could turn to maximize revenue, including: Listing title Listing description Pricing Discounts Cover photo Photo order Photo captions I didn’t want to leave cash on the table, but I didn’t want to evaluate every combo by hand. This kind of situation is commonly called “optimization under uncertainty” because we can’t know ahead of time how our decisions will impact out outcome. Thankfully, there’s a handy statistical method that will help: multi-armed bandits. Optimi... 01/21/2022

It’s amazing how making one decision can literally change everything. One choice, just one, can change your life forever.Life is all about choices and the decisions we make. Studies tell us we make approximately 2,500 to 35,000 decisions every single day. Some choices are trivial and don’t have a lasting impact, but many of the choices we make can greatly impact our lives and our future.Some of the best decisions I’ve made over the years have been to simply say, yes: Yes, to divine appointments, divine connections and divine relationships; Yes, to awesome growth opportunities; Yes, to being brave, courageous, and stepping outside of my comfort zone; and, Yes, to fully embracing change and new technology. My Mother, Anna E. Johnson Hicks, my greatest inspiration, always had an insatiable... 01/20/2022

Buying a home and selling your home is an important and complicated decision. It's important to know all of the available options and what they can mean for you.Before diving into the details, here are some things you should know:-If you're buying, there are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a house such as the price, location, and amenities.-You can also get creative with homes by considering something like a townhome or condo.-If you're selling your home, it's important to consider how much money you'll need up front to cover the closing costs.-Once you've got your ducks in order and found an agent, it's time to list your property on the market! Let us discuss this in more detail. Contact or call me. 01/19/2022

Hello to all! I am a Real Estate Agent looking to help every one sell their current home and find their forever home. I am even here to help if you are looking for your first home to purchase. If you would like to start the process go ahead and reach out to me. I would love to help 01/18/2022

Long Beach Property Management Got you Down?—                                           Are you frustrated with your tenants not paying rent during Covid?          Have you been dealing with maintenance issues while getting little to no rent to support those efforts?Do you resent your tenants? Are you consumed with anger every time those tenants light up your phone? Have you lost sleep, or even worse… is your blood boiling because of those tenants? Are you at the end of your rope?                              If you answered YES to any of those last few questions, it might be time to consider hiring a property management company to step in and take things off your hands.Over the last two years, the laws affecting rent collection during Covid have changed about every eight weeks. There a... 01/18/2022

Setting up an automated Walmart store requires you to hire a services management team that is well versed in dropshipping and the Walmart platform. In addition to this, you will also need to monitor changes in the industry. It is important to be careful with your investments, which is why you should read the reviews of previous clients before making a decision. The process of setting up an automated Walmart store is simple and straightforward. Here are the steps you need to take.First, you need to have an account with Walmart. You must create a merchant account and create a product list. You must ensure that the products are profitable. You can't sell the same products to different people, and you must have an account with them to be able to sell them. You can also choose a product to d... 01/17/2022

I was just informed via the weekly newsletter from our local board office of a new directive from NAR and I am frankly puzzled. I would love to have someone explain the rationale and benefits to members.  For now, however, here are my questions and concerns. I hope if anyone either supports and can provide strong reasoning behind the new policy they will let me know. If others agree with my concerns, and the numbers were great enough, perhaps we can persuade NAR to reconsider before implementing the change as of 3/1.Below is what I wrote to my local board in hopes of getting some answers. I found it hard to understand the rationale behind the requirement to add the listing firm and agent names when participating in the IDX feed and now by adding the email or phone number this seems more... 01/17/2022

There are many different types of agents. The most common is a listing/seller's agent and buyer's agent. A listing agent is a professional who represents the person that's selling their property. They will find buyers that are interested in the seller's property. When you want to buy a property, you'll need a buyer's agent to look at properties with you and negotiate on your behalf.  A real estate agent could be both buyer's and seller's agent. they will help take you to see houses, show you properties suggestions, and help you negotiate. A real estate agent could represent both parties the buyer and the seller and that is called Dual agency. 01/17/2022

Ahhh... the traditional open house!Ahhh-choo!  Allergies?  Pandemic?I've been polling other Realtors and asking how to provide for everyone's comfort and health while viewing this property.  It turns out that the answer is as changeable as the weather!  With new windows throughout, it's easily possible to allow for plenty of fenestration (air flow) throughout the house... providing the weather permits!  We lucked out!  It does!Looking forward to mild and sunny January days!Of course, there's hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves on site.  But my fellow Realtors had additional suggestions!Lining up outside the door may provide the best protection, they claim.  So I will be the door monitor allowing only a few people in at a time.   Not quite the traditional open house?  Ahhhh... but (we hope... 01/15/2022

Real estate agents, are you getting all the same emails I am? Ads and prompts in your social media feeds? Invitations to webinars? There are so many real estate gurus offering thoughts and ideas about what agents should be doing on social media right now. When I see them, I immediately think "ugh, another 'expert' with one more 'thing' I need to be doing on social media." If you've had this feeling lately, I get it. There is such an information overload out there for real estate agents about what you need to be doing on social media that it can make you want to scrap it all.Apparently, now in addition to being an expert on all things related to real estate...serious things with major implications for your clients if you get it wrong by the way...you also need to be a TikTok entertainer,... 01/14/2022

Hope everyone is doing well today. I'm new to Active Rain. Thanks for having me. I'm a Realtor/Real Estate Broker in NC and I service Johnston/Wake and Harnett Counties. There is so much going on here, tons of new homes and developments are being built. I'm looking for other agents that have clients from other states that would like to move to the Carolinas that are willing to work with referrals.  Please reach out to me if you are interested. I'd love to help.Here is what's going on:There are 111 new home communities in Johnston County, NCThere are 2250 new homes going up in Harnett CountyRaleigh is currently a huge housing market near lots of shops, restaurants and collegesAll referrals are welcome.Have an awesome day! 01/10/2022

Are you curious about the worth of your home in Albemarle, NC? As of November 2021, Albemarle, NC homes’ current median listing price is $222,400. That's about $135 per square foot. The median price for homes that have sold is a little lower at $212,000. The value of your home will depend on the historical sale price and the market conditions. The home's location, size, appeal, age, and shape play a role as well.Because of these varying factors, it’s best to get an appraisal to get the actual value of your home. Let’s explore these details - and how they affect the cost of your home. Albemarle, NC Housing Market TrendsThe current Albemarle, NC housing market is booming. It remains a seller’s market. That means there’s a high demand for multi-family homes for sale in Stanly County, NC. A... 01/09/2022

All real estate agents want their listings to stand out and get the attention of buyers, but is there is such a thing as going over the top or misrepresenting a property?  If you've used any of these phrases, you might be pushing it.Extremely small lot touted as a"no maintenance lifestyle".Changing "Needs a new roof" to "open concept".Adding an extra zero to the square footage "accidentally".Counting a coat closet as a "bonus room".Using a picture from your favorite Fixer Upper episode in the listing photos.Before you write that next listing, think about what you are are saying and remember  that honesty is the best policy when it comes to the real estate and your reputation.      01/07/2022

Getting Real Estate training is new adventure to me and writing a first blog to ActiveRain is also interesting and exciting.   Dishonesty might be the most common factor for Real Estate agent who loses his/her license during the review of the training material.  01/06/2022

Under Contract! This beautiful home is located in Conway, SC. Looking forward to 2022 being an amazing year!https://www.myrtlebeachrealestateguide.com/homes/2505-Suzanne-Dr/Conway/SC/29526/124299055/ 01/06/2022

My favorite fiduciary duty is Loyalty. I really like loyalty because it connects to being honest with your client because I feel that it is the glue that holds all the other duties together. Without loyalty you have no integrity, and without integrity you have no moral compass. Integrity is heart of all your decisions, what you are willing to do when no one is looking. If you can commit to be honest in all your dealings, then following the other fiduciary duties will come easy. 01/05/2022

Remodeling a home can be an effective way of creating the perfect space one has always dreamed of – with the added benefit of increasing the house’s value. However, one must be aware of the financial risks associated with remodeling.It is tempting to go into any new project with a single estimate in mind. However, even during the simplest of tasks, one can find costly surprises along the way. Here is a shortlist of some renovation costs that will eat through your wallet to better prepare yourself for some of these surprises.Up to CodeFinding out that your home can be an absolute nightmare. Up to code means that it meets public health and safety regulations. While bridging it up to code is critical, it can also be costly.Part of the problem with getting houses up to code is that regulati... 01/04/2022