The main thing to remember about the name you see on the sign at a property for sale is that that person - their Real Estate agent - already has a written agreement with the seller to represent them and their best interests.  In other words, their fiduciary duty and loyalty lie with the owner of the property for sale.  It almost always makes NO difference in the price of the home - or the commission a seller pays - if the buyer enlists their own agent to show them the home.  In fact, calling the name on the sign usually means being served as a customer of the owner's agent.  This could make a big difference to the buyer and their bottom line if they proceed without an agent of their own to look out for them.If you are under the popular misconception that the price will be higher if you ... 02/09/2011

Recently I received an e-mail from a buyer starting the search for a home.  He and his girlfriend were trying to choose a realtor and get an understanding of the process by asking a few basic, but very good questions: How are commission rates determined?The most important thing to remember about commissions is that they are not allowed (by law) to be set at a certain rate between brokerages.  However, brokers responsible for their own brokerage are allowed to independently set their own rates and to have their own internal guidelines regarding what those rates may be.The commission rate may also be influenced by the type and condition of the property for sale.  Some properties, such as land, rural or commercial properties, require more time, attention and expertise than other types of p... 02/08/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy the  pictures!                                This one is from the University of Wyoming Artu Museum Collection, a gift of Isadore Familian, in 1991.  Thought the statue itself was cast in 1972 (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com )  Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3Sculpture-Can U Find It? #4             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #5            Scu... 02/07/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy   the  pictures!                                       This one is so odd  the way the figure of "Socrates" leans back - it makes it seem unbalanced.  Though its location is very apt - right in front of the entrance to the College of Law. (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com )  Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #4         ... 02/05/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy   the  pictures!                                      (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com )  Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #4             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #5            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #6 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #7             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #8            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #9 Sculptu... 02/05/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy   the  pictures!          (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com )  Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #4             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #5            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #6 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #7             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #8            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #9 Sculpture-Can U Find It?#10        ... 02/04/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this little just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy   the   pictures!                                 I call this one "Fountain Girl".  There is no documentation of its real name or artist, but when I find out I'll come back and add it.  I do know that plaques around the base identify this a monument to the women back in 1870 who first voted and served on a jury.  Though the sculpture itself is decidedly not pioneer like!   Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2            Sculpture-Can U F... 02/03/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this little just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy   the   pictures!                                  Now I have always liked this statue, but if I recall correctly there were vocal few residents who did not welcome its arrival back in 1983.  I think vandals even cut off one or more of the heads during a summer shortly after it was installed.  Fortunately, they must have left them (it) behind and someone did a VERY good job of reattaching it(them?).  Since then, any controversy over this overtly non-traditional not-we... 02/02/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this little just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy   the   pictures!                          Apparently I've been aware of this GIANT Lincoln head my whole life.  My parents tell me that as a two year old I used to shout "Pinkon, Pinkon" as we frequently made the round trip from Laramie to Torrington and back - many years ago.  Of course that was when the monument was still on the actual  Lincoln Highway.   To read more about how and why they moved the monument you can go to:                                          ... 02/01/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this little just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy   the   pictures!       Whether we like it or not, these things are "officially" called bison.  I'll still always probably call them buffalo, but for today I'll be good.  Anyway, these bison are very cool up close - the wire lends them an interesting texture and subtle movement.  It also makes you wonder "How did he do that?!"                                                       (Series inpired by Sculpture A Wyoming Invitational                                      ... 01/31/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this  just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy   the   pictures!                               I had no idea this one had been around this long!  It was commissioned by Edward Ivinson in 1922 and dedicated in 1924.  The inscription says it was dedicated to the Albany County veterans of the World War in 1917 and  1918.  (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com ) Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3 S... 01/29/2011

You know the winter doldrums have hit when a person can find inspiration in nearly anything!  Today's inspiration - the basketball stuck on our roof since the first snow fall in the middle of November.  The challenge?! ... Can you guess on which day just enough snow will melt and allow it to roll off the roof?  Our roof on January 29, 2011    Will there be a BIG prize?  No.... I'm afraid not.  But I will announce the winner, loud and clear, here in my Active Rain Blog.  C'mon what could be better than that?!   (tongue in cheek...) ***UPDATE***  Yesterday, March 5, 2011, the ball rolled off the roof!  Yippee!  I wonder if that means that spring is officially on its way...... Anyway, the person who guessesd the closest was  Carey Valentine  who guessed March 17th!  Sorry I don't have anyt... 01/29/2011

Laramie, Wyoming.  We have some culture,  really - we do!  The challenge of this just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy  the  pictures!  This one is definitely not serious but it may be . . . DEEP.  Is it a brain, is it inviting you to take "refuge" from your own thoughts with the carefully placed chair in the interior?  Or is is just fun wavy shapes with a chair inside for you to sit?   A h h h h . . . I don't know the answer.   Do you? (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com ) Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Fin... 01/29/2011

Laramie, Wyoming.  We have some culture, really - we do! The challenge of this little just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy  the  pictures!   (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com ) Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2              Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #4             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #5              Sculpture-Can U Find It? #6 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #7             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #8              Sculpture-Can U Find It? #9 Sculpture-Can U Find It?#10    ... 01/28/2011

(Post #15 in the "Why I Love Laramie" series) Like many towns that have actual seasons, we in Laramie embrace the warm weather whole heartedly when it  finally and briefly arrives.  While we wait we plan for all the wonderful things we will do when it gets here.  Years ago, those plans included an outdoor pool for our City Recreation Center.  On a sunny summer day - it is a fabulous place to swim and soak up the sun.  But when its not . . .   you be the judge!     Resilience and hope against all reason, you gotta love this town!                     For those who are not so hardy, or as some would say - smarter, there is a spacious indoor leisure pool that is always warm as well as an eight lane lap pool.   So don't be scared to join in the fun, you don't have to go in the outdoor pool! ... 01/27/2011

Laramie, Wyoming. We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this  just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However,  I  hope  that  far  away  visitors  can  still  enjoy  the  pictures! Now this is  a classic  western sculpture!  Whoever D. Michael Thomas is, he did a great job - it's even got a little fun in it! (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com ) Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #4             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #5            Sculpture-Can U Find It? #6 Sculpture-Can U Find It... 01/27/2011

Laramie, Wyoming.  We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this  just for fun series . . . Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to - or live in - Laramie, Wyoming,  it won't be easy to do the  "Can You Find It?"  part of this challenge.  However, I hope that far away visitors can still enjoy the pictures! While I admire the artistry of  "serious"  sculpture (like Ben Franklin from yesterday's post), my favorite sculptures are the ones that bring a smile to my face - like this one! (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com ) Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #4             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #5             Sculpture... 01/25/2011

Laramie, Wyoming.  We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this  just for fun series . . .  Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to or live in Laramie, Wyoming, it won't be easy to do the "Can You Find It?" part of this challenge.  However, I hope that far away visitors can still enjoy the pictures!                                       You can tell this statue/sculpture has been there a while because it is so traditional.  It makes me wonder just how many statues there are of Ben Franklin across the United States.... (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com ) 01/25/2011

Laramie, Wyoming.  We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this  just for fun series . . .  Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to or live in Laramie, Wyoming, it won't be easy to do the "Can You Find It?" part of this challenge.  However, I hope that far away visitors can still enjoy the pictures! The artist welded chrome plated steel to make this fun piece.  I'm not positive but it looks to me like bits and pieces of the old kind of bumpers that we used to have on cars and trucks!  Cool, huh?! (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com ) Sculpture-Can U Find It? #1              Sculpture-Can U Find It? #2              Sculpture-Can U Find It? #3 Sculpture-Can U Find It? #4             Sculpture-Can U Find It? #5    ... 01/24/2011

Laramie, Wyoming.  We have some culture, really - we do!  The challenge of this  just for fun series . . .  Can You Find It ?! If you haven't been to or live in Laramie, Wyoming, it won't be easy to do the "Can You Find It?" part of this challenge.  However, I hope that far away visitors can still enjoy the pictures!                                   (This series was inspired by Sculpture, A Wyoming Invitational.  www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com )  01/23/2011