Recently, while visiting my family in Southern California, we decided to take a drive to Malibu and spend the day at the beach.  As we were rolling down the street in my daughter's neighborhood, my 4-yr old grand-daughter suddenly yells out loud... 'Stop The Car... I'm Not Strapped In!'  LOL... out of the mouth of babes!   This funny (yet serious) moment reminded me of how our best laid plans can easily get derailed when we miss an important step.  Recently, I switched MLS providers.  Several months after making the change, I received a nasty email from a consumer who was perusing my website.  He was peeved because every time he clicked on my 'Search' MLS button at www.BuyInOregon.com, the link was broken and he wasn't able to access the MLS. The guy automatically assumed that I was pur... 05/16/2013

Monday Morning Mocha with Yogi It's another GORGEOUS day in Southern Oregon!  I'm easing into what's going to be a very busy week... enjoying a cup of Joe on my deck with my little buddy bear... Yogi.  He's a little cutie pie and always offers a friendly grin first thing in the morning.  No matter what kind of day I'm having, I can always count on him to lift my spirits ;-)  Happy Monday Everyone! 05/06/2013

Hey Girl, Oh... the road you've traveled to get here.  You always liked the scenic route... the long and windy road, layered with potholes.  If I could've warned you about some of those twists and turns, I would've, but I'm certain you would've taken the long way around anyway.  You can be pig-headed that way sometimes.  And so it goes my friend, one must walk the trail and wipe the dust from our feet as we take the next fork in the road. Let's kick up our heels for a moment and enjoy a cup of Joe while we chat about the twists and turns you've taken to get here.  First things first, you should've listened to me when I told you not to go to work as a Buyer's Agent for that crazy lady Realtor (you remember the one).  You knew it was going to end in disaster before it ever began.  That's ... 04/30/2013

Sometimes, I Need To Be Reminded.... of all the reasons why I live in a small town in the Pacific Northwest.  I received an interesting call this morning from an out-of-state seller who wanted to pick my brain.  After a brief exchange about real estate, the gentleman  disclosed that he's a published writer of several books about small towns across America, including Grants Pass, Oregon. I asked about his interest in Southern Oregon and why he bought property here.  Then the flood gates opened... I got a lovely earful of  all the wonderful reasons to move to Southern Oregon.  What are they, you ask?  For starters... the wild and scenic Rogue River flows through the center of town... and it's truly spectacular!  Grants Pass Oregon attracts unsuspecting tourists to its recreational playgro... 03/28/2013

Spring has Sprung... and I'm Pleased as Pinterest Pie.  This morning, while pinning a pie recipe to one of my Pinterest boards, I received a counter offer by email from an REO bank.  I was stoked and slightly confused at the same time.  I called the listing agent to ask... 'Does this mean we got it?'  I know that sounds like a silly question to ask... but there were multiple offers on the property, and the Seller's counter didn't change the original price or terms of our offer.  The answer was... 'Yes, if you accept the counter offer, we have a deal.'  Whoa!  I've been whirling and twirling these last couple of weeks... running around showing property, writing offers, doing CMA's.  Did somebody let the bunny out of the cage, b'cuz things are really hopping.  The bunny trail is alive and... 03/27/2013

Dear Buyer,  I'm very sorry to inform you that your offer was not accepted.  There were five offers on the house and the Seller chose the one with the highest price and the best terms.  What could we have done differently, you ask?  Let me share a few suggestions. As I mentioned previously, the inventory of homes for sale in our County is extremely low.  Yet, demand has stayed relatively the same, meaning there are more buyers and less homes.  That puts you in a category of competing against other ready, willing and able buyers in your price range.  When I called to tell you that the home of your dreams had just popped up on the MLS, and that we needed to move on it right away, you hesitated.  I know you mentioned that you had a prior commitment that day and it would be better for your ... 03/26/2013

Wella, Wella, Wella...  I've lived on rural property for most of my life, so when it came to choosing a real estate niche, specializing in rural properties seemed like a good fit.  I know a lot about the complexities that often accompany a rural property sale in Oregon, including the topic of wells.   Most rural properties in Oregon get their water from a man-made well.  A well might resemble something like the pic on the left, a cute facade with an old water pail in the center.  Typically, they don't look anything like this.  It's customary to find a well housed in a small wooden shed or building, or none at all (where the well head sits outside slightly raised above ground).  Here are some common questions Buyers ask about wells: Where does the water come from? Man-made wells have bee... 03/22/2013

Can You Say... Yippy Skippy!  Whoa!  Fabuloso!  Awesome!  Yowza!  I'm kickin' up my heels today in celebrating another closing of a Grants Pass Oregon Short Sale!  Yes indeed... we get excited about these things around these parts ;-) This one was a total cutie.  After several months on the market and 4 offers, one lucky buyer gets to sleep in this home tonight, and we're soooo happy for them.  It was a bittersweet sale for the Seller, but they are feeling relieved and are happy to be moving on with their lives. I'm happy too... and I'm headed out to celebrate at the Rogue Valley Food and Wine Classic tonight, where I will no doubt, raise a glass to another successful short sale closing.  I might even nibble on some delectable chocolate desserts too.  Pics to follow tomorrow ;-) Can You... 03/21/2013

The Listing With 9 Lives & 1 Dead Rat.  Seriously... I'm not exaggerating when I say that one of my Short Sale listings in Grants Pass, Oregon has practically become a part of my immediate family.  With nine offers in two years... this short sale has taken on a life of it's own and is more like a cat with 9 lives. I've become an expert at fielding calls from my fellow Realtors who ask... 'What's wrong with it... and why has it been on the market so long?'  Truth is... there's really nothing wrong with it... other than a dead rat found floating in the toilet a few weeks ago.  It's a Short Sale... and the majority of offers received have been ridiculously low and were countered by the bank.  Most of the buyers were investors who threw wet offers at the wall to see if they would stick.  Wh... 03/14/2013

Baby... Are You Down?  Yes... even The Naked Blogger gets down, down, down, down, down on occasion.  Especially when she can't access her favorite sites on the Net.  So... what does she do when that happens? First, she pops in one of her favorite tunes... lately, it's Ingrid Michaelson... a cool chicky who's lyrics anyone can relate to.  Then, while sipping her favorite cup of Joe, she types the following website in her browser to see what's really going on with sites like Pinterest, that have been down all morning.    The next time you're feeling frustrated because you can't figure something out... just Google it.  Chances are, there are a gazillion other peeps out there who've felt the same way you do, and they've posted their helpful comments in a thread somewhere on the Net.  Oh yea... 03/09/2013

SPRING Forward... in a Wacky Kind of Way!  Sometimes I amuse even myself.  Can anyone say wacky!  Here's the definition... 'Funny or amusing in a slightly odd or peculiar way.'  Yep, that's me! I had an early morning meeting today with a contractor at a house I have in escrow.  I'm not a huge morning person... mostly because I like to ease into my day without the rush.  Today, I felt rushed.  There was no time for my usual morning cup of Joe or breakfast, I simply threw on a blouse and a pair of jeans with boots and ran out the door.  When I arrived at the house, the contractor was waiting.  We walked to the front door and I pulled out what I thought was my Realtor key pad to open the lockbox... that's when I realized it was my garage door opener remote instead ;-)  LOL... the contracto... 03/08/2013

Dimming Your Lights So Others May Shine.  I'll never forget the day my boss suggested it.... I couldn't believe my ears.  I thought... what kind of psycho-babble, co-dependent, BS talk is this?  Dumbing it down for what, and for whom? In the early 90's, I worked for a major pharmaceutical firm in Los Angeles as a Hospital Sales Rep in the clinical lab division.  It was an extremely competitive environment where everyone had major degrees and tudes to boot.  I was forever razzed by my colleagues that I must've slept with someone to get the job, as I had zippo qualifications on paper for the position.  Truth is, I snuck in the back door when no one was looking ;-) I had just closed the doors on my retail business and I was $150K in debt.  I had creditors calling daily harassing my family.... 03/05/2013

Here's a test.... when you really need to know if you're a bubble off... For the record... Most of you know that I walk a fine line,  balancing my act slightly off center, but always teetering closely to the middle.  Do the rest of you stay within the lines?  I sure hope not!  Life is so much more interesting when you venture outside the lines... wouldn't you agree? Happy Speechless Sunday! 03/03/2013

Calming the Stormy Short Sale Seas.  Sometimes it takes divine intervention to keep a Short Sale together.  I've had my share of Short Sale miracles and I feel pretty blessed to have navigated  many Buyers and Sellers through some stormy short sale seas.  It takes more than average qualifications to calm stormy waters during the short sale process.  As the Captain of the ship, the Short Sale Realtor performs many roles; that of Counselor, Advocate, Negotiator and sometimes Miracle Worker.  Sadly, many deals have sailed and failed due to the lack of reliable navigational co-ordinances.   The Short Sale Professional understands the enormous financial burden a distressed seller faces in the midst of a short sale.  Creditors are calling daily, causing Sellers more angst with overwhelming fe... 02/27/2013

A life unplugged.  Are you tethered to your TV, computer, or cell phone practically 24/7?  Have you lost touch with enjoying a real conversation with another red-blooded soul (your dog doesn't count).  When's the last time you read a good book in quiet solitude?  Perhaps this post is for you. Remember the days of no cell phones, no answering machines, 4 channels on the TV and only AM radio? What about when people actually drove the speed limit of 55 mph and they weren't in such a hurry to be somewhere? Life seemed so much simpler back then. A few months ago, I decided to cancel my home phone and Direct TV.  At first, I felt the initial sting of withdrawal... no more mindless vegging in front of the boob tube (ever wonder why we call it that?).  It's funny how set in our ways we become t... 02/20/2013

It's Heart Day at The Cafe.  When I was a youngin' growing up on the poor side of the tracks, we had limited resources to celebrate birthdays and holidays.  We also moved around a lot, so I never got attached to people, places or things... let alone holiday traditions.  But that never stopped me from dreaming about them. When my kids were young, I found myself enjoying their excitement when the holidays rolled around.  They would eagerly ask me what we were planning on doing several weeks before the 'special' day.  I had to get creative, even though I didn't have a how-to flow chart or any childhood experiences to draw from. One summer, the kids and I went on a 3-week road trip visiting 8 western states (they had no idea that I was secretly scouting out places to live).  One of the area... 02/14/2013

How Do I Love Thee?  Let Me Count The Ways.... 1.  You are kind, considerate and respectful, and that says a lot about you.  2.  You know what you want and you're not shy about expressing it.  3.  When you make up your mind to do something, you do it.  4.  You're intelligent, determined and focused, and I admire that about you. 5.  You find humor in all things and you make me laugh. 6.  You love to text, which is so cool... me too! 7.  You bring me flowers... and I love, love, love flowers. 8.  You take me to the best hole-in-the-wall places that totally look like dives, but the food tastes great! 9.  You eat chocolate when I eat chocolate... I love it when we're bad together. 10. You share my love for coffee and conversation, and you never mind when we take the scenic route.     Have I... 02/12/2013

I'm sure your Mama used to say, like mine... Don't air your dirty laundry in public.  Or... loose lips, sink ships.  There's something to be said for our Mama's and discretion.   We've read posts, and commented too, sometimes shaking our head, sometimes partaking in bed.  Indeed, none of us are perfect.  Rainers who rant would be wise to consider the long-term effect their cyber lips have on the Internet.   What is cyber-ranting?  It's pretty simple... ranting about anyone, anytime, anywhere in a negative light.  Most often, it starts with an innocent post with a few slighted words about a fellow colleague, Realtor, client, service provider, or perhaps even your mother.  Then it takes on a life of its own in the comm box... leading you down the slippery slope, never fully able to retrac... 02/08/2013

Happy Heart Day Everyone!  It makes my heart happy to support great causes... Today is National Wear Red Day in honor of heart disease awareness.  ActiveRain is doing its part by encouraging you to post a picture of yourself wearing red on ActiveRains's Facebook Page today and you'll receive 500 bonus AR points! You don't have to talk me into it... I love an opportunity to wear red.  I found this hat I bought for my daughter many years ago.  She put it in her Goodwill pile and I snatched it back just in time to put it to good use today ;-)  There are so many ways to keep your heart healthy... beginning with a better diet.  Start your day with some oatmeal (mixed with flaxseed) and a juicy red apple.  Enjoy a taco salad for lunch topped with sunflower seeds (use salsa as your dressing) a... 02/01/2013

Everybody's got a dark side.... It's practically impossible to be in sales and not feel an occasional tug-o-fear deep down in the depths of your soul.  Who hasn't asked themselves (in our quiet voice, of course)... Will they like me?  Am I good enough? When I joined ActiveRain in 2008, I didn't know a thing about blogging.  I became a lurker (like many of you) and quietly observed from the sidelines as I read, and read, and read.  Finally, when I felt safe enough, I jumped in and adopted the AR objective... write about all things real estate, make it local, and you'll be baptized in Google juice.  I practiced what was preached, I stumbled, I fell, but I hung in there.  Eventually my blog turned into a bountiful harvest of peeps reading my posts... and my phone began to ring.  I hit the ... 01/28/2013