I have had several people ask me where they should be spending their time on the internet. This is the first in a series of blogs I am writing to help you get started in the social media world. I am skipping the background of social media, but if you want to know more about it, and how it can bring you business, see my earlier posts. Below are ten buttons linking to ten different websites that I have built profiles on. Each one of these sites contain links back to my primary website, http://www.timwhitehomes.com. The goal here is to drive traffic to your website! You don't have to spend hours every day on these sites, just take a few minutes to create a profile on each, and you're started. Here's a tip: Once you create a profile on one site, copy and paste it to a word document. Expand ... 04/30/2009

Let the mushroom hunting begin!   It's official, morels have been spotted in West Michigan. Don't bother asking where, as a good spot is worth more than gold to the avid mushroom hunter. I will tell you that Oceana County is a good place to start. Western and Northern Michigan is a great place to find these delicious little critters, and we take our mushroom hunting seriously. A friend of mine here in the office was kind enough to rub it in my face this morning that she found some yesterday. It's a bit early, but I suspect the big ones will be showing up soon. You can get more information about morels at http://www.morelmushroom.info/index.html   In the spirit of mushroom hunting season, here's a recipe for the tasty little buggers I found at The Great Morel.   Sautéed Morels with Cream... 04/28/2009

I appreciate my wife, Amy, everyday, but Thursdays, and today in particular, make me appreciate her even more. Amy has to go out of town on Thursdays, and I inherit the duties of chauferring our three kids around to their never ending stream of after school events. It's a frenzy of non-stop running back and forth. I would never be able to do all the things I get done in a day if I had to keep up with the kids by myself. One of the greatest reasons I have been successful in my career is because Amy is so supportive. I could never succeed as a realtor if I didn't have Amy in my corner. We're a team, and a pretty darn good one if I do say so myself.   I'm sure all wives feel unappreciated at some point. I know I don't tell Amy often enough how much she means to me, and how I would be lost ... 04/23/2009

I was driving east on Ocean Dr. in Hart, Michigan today when I saw this little gem sitting alongside the road. I had my camera with me, like any good realtor should, and I just couldn't resist blogging about it. Michigan is widely held to be a left leaning, liberal state. So much so, in fact, that Senator McCain's campaign withdrew from the state early during the election runoffs of 2008. John, I think you gave up on us too quickly. You see, there are strong pockets of conservatism in West Michigan. The recent Tea Parties have sounded a clarion call to the formerly "Silent Majority", and I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these types of displays. Even if you're a liberal, you have to admit this is pretty clever. 04/22/2009

"March Housing Construction Drops 10.8 Percent" By now you've probably seen headlines like this one. It's dramatic, it sounds like the world is ending for real estate, and it is just the kind of dramatic overstatement that makes me gag when I read the news. But have you actually READ the article? I've linked it to the headline. Believe it or not, there's actually a lot of good news in there. The article explains that the percentage is based largely on the fact that multi-family home starts (apartments) are down, but in fact, single family home starts have stabilized. Here are two excerpts from the article which belie the headline: "The much larger single-family sector actually stabilized in March at an annual rate of 358,000 units, the same level as February when single-family starts ma... 04/20/2009

You want to do it. You need to do it. You KNOW you need to do it! But where do you find the time to squeeze in building your web presence? How do balance dealing with current business, while at the same time build for new business?? You already have to much to do! It's too much! ARGHHHHHHH!!! Stop. Breathe. Relax. Wusaahhhh...   Perhaps my favorite and most often used quote is, "Work smarter, not harder." So how can we apply this to Social Media? I'm going to share a few techniques with you that I use. Try them, see if they work for you. Step 1: Commit! Set aside an hour a day to post a blog, add some friends, read some blogs, something SM related. I tend to do a lot of my blogging at night, after the kids are in bed. I plan on an hour, but I usually get swept up in it, and am up til cr... 04/03/2009

Hopefully by now, you already know everything there is to know about how to qualify for the Federal First Time Home Owner's Tax Credit. But do you know HOW to apply for it? The IRS has published Form 5405. The form was revised in February of 2009, and is usable for both the new $8000 tax credit, and the old $7500 tax credit. This form is not only the application, but is also very specific as to what the eligibility requirements are. Just click on the money bags for the form and all the details. Some quick highlights of the program, in case this is the first time you've heard of it: $7500 Tax Credit For homes purchased between April 8, 2008 and December 31, 2008 Credit is a zero interest "loan" to be paid back over 15 years Income limit of $75,000 if filing single or $150,000 if married ... 03/27/2009

One of my most valued friends is Jaime Woodall. I met Jaime about four years ago when I started attending First Baptist Church in Hart. My family and I were new to the church, and Jaime was the youth pastor there at the time. Jaime and his wife Kris welcomed us into the church family, and Jaime and I really connected. Over the first year or so, Jaime and I would meet for coffee, and talk about some seriously deep stuff. I'd never had a friend I felt so comfortable talking with. Jaime opened up new doors for me, and encouraged me to build my relationship with Jesus Christ. Jaime is not your typical pastor, at least not the way I came to expect pastors to be. I grew up in Southern Kentucky, where I attended Southern Baptist churches, and never established a real relationship in any of tho... 03/22/2009

Being in the sales and service industry as long as I have been, I'm pretty daggone fussy about the way I am treated by those providing a service to me. I guess you could say I grade on a pretty stiff curve. I hold myself to an extremely high standard. Because of this, I expect others to do the same, and am often disappointed. Not so today, however. I purchased my domains from godaddy.com a little over a month ago,  and I really didn't expect much from an internet based company that charges just $9.99 per year. So, when the next day I get a call thanking me for my business, I was pleasantly surprised. That representative further went on to ask if there were any questions I may have about my new subscription with GoDaddy. I had a bunch of 'em! The rep took the time to answer all of them, ... 03/18/2009

For the last several years, I worked in Grand Rapids, driving over a hundred miles one way everyday. When establishing rapport with my customers, eventually the subject of my long commute would come up, and they would invariably ask, "Oh my! Why do you drive so far? You should move down here." In truth, I have considered it over the years. But every time I drop my kids off at school, and I recognize nearly every parent and teacher, I realize: THIS IS HOME!  Sure, Grand Rapids is a bustling hub of activity, and the fastest growing city in Michigan. Make no mistake, I love Grand Rapids, too. I will always feel a connection to the big city, and my taste for excitement will always take me back. Grand Rapids has a feel like no other city I have been too, and I have been to a lot of cities. B... 03/13/2009