Personal Story of Real Estate Blogging

As a Realtor, I am always looking for ways to increase my market range. I have recently been turned onto the world of Blogs. I was not quite sure what a blog was when I first started so I decided to look it up. According to Merriam-Webster Blog is defined as follows:

Pronunciation: 'blog, 'blägFunction: nounEtymology: short for Weblog: a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer - blog·ger noun - blog·ging noun

This makes sense, and if I may, I would like to expand on this definition. A Blog may also follow a particular theme. In my case Real Estate is the theme, and more specifically Chicago Real Estate. Of course there are times in which I will write about other things (The Cubs signing Alfonso Soriano…die hard Cub fan “waiting for next year”) because in fact this is an online personal journal.

When beginning my Blog, I was set up with a template from Blogger.com, and away I went. I started out with a story, or as the correct term is I added a post. Then time passed and I added another post. Then some more time passed I added another. What I am trying to get at here is that blogging was much more difficult or shall I say intimidating then I had anticipated. The idea of thousands of people reading my weekly thoughts and opinions was intimidating. I mean who was I? Was I an expert on Chicago Real Estate? Not an expert, but very knowledgably. Also, how is my writing? I am no Pulitzer Prize winning author or for that matter even a published author. So how was I going to write about Chicago Real Estate on a regular basis? What I decided to do is to check out other Real Estate blogs. I know for a fact I am not the only one doing it so I thought it would be a good idea to see what others are writing about and how they are writing. Do you know what I found? I found posts that were very informative and insightful. I also found posts that were not informative and I also found posts that were just plain insane. (I have decided not to mention any of the posts I saw, but trust me they are out there.) Doing the research made me realize that everyone writing a blog does not have to be an expert or a great writer. Besides the definition of blog does not specify you being an expert or great writer. With my fear of being ridiculed out of the way, I was ready to really get going on my blog.

Then I found another problem…content. I knew I wanted to blog about Chicago Real Estate, but what does that mean. Does it mean me just blogging about my daily conversations with friends and colleagues? It could, but I knew I wanted more. I wanted people who read my blog for the first time to want to come back again. I knew that a daily journal of my thoughts and opinions would only carry me so far. I needed more to say about Real Estate. And that’s when it hit me. I am a Realtor, I can comment on the market, the value of a house or condo, the process of buying and selling a home, etc. But, I am not the only one involved in the Real Estate process. There are Mortgage Lenders, Attorneys, Home Inspectors, the Buyers and Sellers (just to name a few). I needed a way to incorporate view points from all these sources as well. So where can I find all this…on the internet. So I started searching the internet for stories, articles, what ever I could find that dealt with Real Estate. I found a lot of resources and now I was truly ready to go.

With my intimidation behind me and an expansive amount of content just a click away, I am ready to really get involved in the world of blogging. I hope all who come here find it informative and entertaining, and continue to return. Keep an eye on the changes, as the more I learn, the more I will incorporate into my blog.

Cubs sign Soriano...believe it.

Being a life long die-hard Cubs fan, I was shocked and surprised when I heard the news of the Cubs signing the #1 free agent on the market. Alfonso Soriano, who is only the third man in major league history to post a 40/40 season, was by far the #1 free agent on the market. His power numbers at the top of the batting order separates him from the rest of the field. He is a dynamic player that provides both speed and power. He shows great hustle on the field and is reportedly one of the hardest workers out there. He is known for being the first one to the ballpark and giving 100% at all times. Cub fans will surely appreciate his passion as well as his production.

This is one of the few times the Cubs have actually followed through on their word. We have heard a lot of talk in the past when there was glaring need to fill a position and the Cubs go out and find a middle of the road guy, in hopes of catching lighting in a bottle. This year, there was a need to add some more power to the line up. Soriano was the #1 free agent, and the Cubs did what they said they would. They went out and the guy they needed. They also sent a message to the fans, that they are willing to do what it takes to bring a winner to the North Side.

I do understand that we still need pitching, but the signing of Soriano is a great step to making the Cubs a contender for years to come.

Nationwide Real Estate Campaign

For the past couple of weeks I have been commenting on why I believe now is a good time to buy Real Estate. I have written several entries (see Buyers market means…BUY! And, Current Real Estate Market) to help inform readers about the current state of the market. Just recently the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has gone on a nationwide campaign to urge home buyers to buy now before the market changes. The NAR has taken out full page newspaper advertisements to urge home buyers who have been waiting to buy the home of their dreams to act now before the market changes.

This is the first-ever newspaper blitz taken by the NAR. The feature, headlined, “It’s a great time to buy or sell a home”, points out that interest rates have fallen seven months in a row and are near 40 year lows, inventories of existing homes are higher then they have been in decades and prices have stabilized. But, these conditions won’t last for long, as sales are likely to pick up, prices gain traction and conditions improve for sellers next year.

The advertisement will appear this weekend (Nov 11-12) in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Sundays in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.

NAR president Thomas M. Stevens said the newspaper ads are the beginning of an NAR campaign to urge buyers and sellers to take advantage of the favorable market conditions. Two of the network television and radio ads directed at buyers and sellers will begin airing in the second week of January.

So remember if you are thinking about buying a home or condo consider these points:
- Interest rates are low
- A good inventory of homes is available
- Prices have stabilized and are starting to rise
- The future of the housing market and the economy are positive
- Housing is a great investment, with average home valuations increasing 88 percent in the last 10 years

Remodeling Your Kitchen

I was recently asked about Remodeling and cost associated with that. As a Realtor I am often asked about what types of remodeling can be done to make a condo or house more attractive. Most people usually want to remodel their kitchen, as well they should. I believe that the kitchen can be one of the main reasons between a buyer’s decision to purchase a place or not. (Now before I get into this further, I want to say a good coat of paint goes along way. Do not ever think that the little things don’t matter.) So getting back to the idea of the kitchen I wanted to pass this article along to my readers. I found this article in the Chicago Tribune, written by James and Morris Carey of the Associated Press. "Remodeling 'specials' may not be special at all." This article gives you the heads up on some things to look for and consider when you are thinking about a remodeling job. Also, it can give you an idea of the things to ask your contractor when discussing your remodeling job. As for cost, it all depends on what you want done. The most important thing is to be educated on what it takes to complete a remodeling job.