ActiveRain Community

Let America Build: 7 New Business Opportunities for Real Estate ProfessionalsA national housing movement can become a local business strategy — and a strong foundation for your 2027 business plan.For years, real estate professionals have talked about affordability, inventory and the difficulty many Americans face finding a home they can afford. But one of the most persistent problems behind all three is straightforward: we don't have enough housing.Realtor.com estimates the nation remains short roughly 4 million homes. Its Let America Build initiative is focused on housing supply, affordability, and the regulatory barriers that can make new housing more difficult or expensive to produce.Now Realtor.com has taken the initiative further. On September 15, it announced a national public-aw... 09/16/2026

Whether you are still working, or retired, do you have a routine for every day?  Maybe on certain days?When I was working, I would get up, feed the kitties, check the emails from overnight, the stock market, then get started on my list for the day.   Mornings were usually busy with emails/texts/calls, so tried to set appointments in the afternoons, if I could.These days, I get up when/if I feel rested (doesn't matter what time if I have no appts), feed the kitties, and check emails and the stock market.    A couple of day a week I set aside some time to work on my investments, and usually spend more time on Wednesday on this, if possible.Two to three times a week, I walk to the grocery store, and one day a week I take the bike and go to the larger grocery store.Every day I get out and w... 09/16/2026

The cheapest square-foot number can hide the most expensive project.Cost per square foot may be the most overused metric in construction. It is easy to understand, easy to repeat, and often a poor way to determine which building system will create the best financial outcome.My thesis is simple: the lowest cost per square foot does not necessarily produce the lowest total project cost.The problem is the denominator. Divide a construction price by square footage and you get a clean number, but that number can leave out much of what determines whether a project succeeds economically. Impresa's own guidance on understanding total modular home pricing makes the same point from the homeowner side: site conditions, utilities, permits, finishes, and other variables can materially change the fin... 09/16/2026

Criticism is easy.It usually comes at the end, when everything is already visible — the finished home, the accepted offer, the closed escrow, the photograph, the flawless closing.What is rarely visible is everything that came before it.The hours — and sometimes even years — of preparation. The decisions that had to be made. The money spent. The stress absorbed quietly. The compromises. The conversations nobody heard. The problems solved before they ever became problems.We often judge people by what we can see, while their greatest contribution may be hidden in everything we never had to see.Real estate is very much like that.A client may see a listing go live, an offer arrive, or a transaction close and wonder what could possibly have required so much work.They don't necessarily see the... 09/16/2026

Life happens.  Stacks accumulate throughout my house.  I feel overwhelmed by the clutter! It is easier to keep moving the stacks from one table to another.  Tackling the clutter is daunting! Then I found this list of Ten Easy De-Cluttering Projects – Each Done in 15 Minutes or Less!Finding the time (and the motivation) to make clutter disappear . That’s where quickie clutter clearing comes in. If there ever is a time when I have lots of time, energy and motivation, I certainly am NOT going to use it to declutter my house. Instead, I am going to complete these 10 easy projects to declutter.1. Food storage containers. Open up that messy Tupperware drawer and pull everything out. Match up the containers with their lids (check the dishwasher too) and toss or recycle mate-less pieces. Stack ... 09/15/2026

Modular construction is about more than building faster—it’s about control, consistency, and predictability. By moving much of the construction process into a controlled environment, modular homes can reduce weather delays, improve quality control, and limit unexpected costs. Explore why a better-managed building process could change how we think about new homes. The homebuilding industry has spent decades debating modular versus site-built construction as if the argument were about where a carpenter swings a hammer. That misses the point. Both methods use familiar materials, skilled trades, engineered plans, building codes, inspections, and permanent foundations. The meaningful difference is not whether a home is stick-built. The difference is whether construction happens inside a mana... 09/15/2026

Humans make mistakes.  It's what we do afterwards that determines whether it becomes classified as a royal screw up, or a chance to build our reputation as someone who owns up to the mistake and fixes it.The tree company that dropped a tree on our garage in 2024?  We went from raving fans that had used their business multiple times and recommended them every chance we got to someone who will NEVER recommend them again.  Not directly because they dropped a tree on our house (that's always a risk when you're working with a tree 10 feet from a house), but because of the complete failure in making things right afterwards.I could come up with a long list of examples of failing to handle things well, but then this would start to sound like a rant post wouldn't it?On the other hand, some do kn... 09/15/2026

Sometimes the best real estate decision is knowing when to walk away. A successful transaction isn’t just about getting the deal done—it’s about making sure the property is truly the right fit for the buyer. THE HOUSE YOU DON'T BUY CAN BE YOUR BEST REAL ESTATE DECISION We spend a lot of time celebrating the house someone buys. The accepted offer. The successful inspection. The settlement. The keys. The smiling picture at the front door. But sometimes the real estate decision worth celebrating is the house you DIDN'T buy. I've watched buyers fall in love with houses. I've watched them picture their furniture inside before we've finished walking through the rooms. I've watched them start mentally moving in before we've even written the offer. And I've also watched deals fall apart. Someti... 09/14/2026

September Challenge…My Roundtable Wishes It’s hard to choose just one subject I’d like to see discussed at an ActiveRain Roundtable.  Since 2020, I’ve looked forward to seeing several of my ActiveRain friends at our weekly Zoom Call. I may be retired, but I haven’t given up on learning something every day.A topic that many of us have been discussing involves YOU. Well, not you in particular but YOU in general.                                           Zoom Call from May 5, 2020 I would love to see other members attend at least one roundtable Zoom to share your thoughts on: -The relevancy of ActiveRainThe community’s purpose:“ We are a community of real estate agents, brokers, home stagers, inspectors, lenders, and other industry professionals who are committed to learning how to do our ... 09/15/2026

Facebook Marketplace has become one of the most successful online selling platforms today, and its rise is no surprise. Whether you’re hoping to declutter your home, make a little extra cash, or furnish an entire space on a budget, Marketplace delivers endless opportunities. The appeal is simple: local listings, real people, and unbeatable deals.Marketplace works by connecting buyers and sellers within their community. Sellers can snap a photo, write a quick description, set a price, and publish the listing in minutes. Buyers can browse by category - furniture, décor, tools, electronics, vehicles, and more - or search for exactly what they need. Communication happens through Facebook Messenger, making the process fast and familiar.What makes Marketplace truly shine is the variety. You’l... 09/15/2026

Lycee Rochambeau, the French International School, is the choice of many diplomats and international residents in Washington for their children.  Children as young as two years old are able to start at the Lycee Rochambeau and continue through high school, receiving both a U.S.  diploma and a French  baccalaureate. Upon graduation, the Lycee Rochambeau alumni primarily attend colleges in France, the U.S., the U.K., and Canada but also around the world.What Makes the Lycee Rochambeau Special?The Lycee Rochambeau is the only school in the Washington area accredited by the French Ministry of Education which certifies that the teaching provided by the school complies with the demands, curricula, teaching objectives and organizational rules of the French education system. All students from a... 09/14/2026

In real estate and finance, first impressions happen in seconds. Before a client reads your pitch or reviews your portfolio, they’ve already judged your brand by its logo.Logos as Silent NegotiatorsYour logo speaks before you do. A strong mark signals confidence, clarity, and professionalism. A weak one signals hesitation. Deals are often won or lost before the conversation even begins.The Psychology of RecognitionHumans process visuals faster than words. A logo that’s distinct and reduced lodges in memory. A logo that’s generic disappears instantly. In industries built on trust and recall, invisibility is costly.The Risk of “Safe” DesignMany firms choose logos that feel safe — familiar fonts, predictable symbols, muted colors. Safe feels comfortable, but it doesn’t stand out. In compet... 09/14/2026

Imagine spending 30 years paying off your house… only to reach retirement and wonder whether you can afford to stay there.That's the part of “your home went up in value” that people sometimes forget.Your house can double in value without your retirement income increasing enough to keep up with the bills.The equity looks fantastic on paper.But groceries require cash.Insurance requires cash.Property taxes require cash.Utilities require cash.And “just sell it” sounds like an easy answer when you're talking about someone else's house.Someone else's neighborhood.Someone else's memories.Someone else's entire life built inside those walls.Yes, property taxes pay for services and infrastructure that communities depend on.But meaningful relief for seniors living on fixed incomes should be part o... 09/14/2026

Good morning from Tim again in Cottage Grove, MN.  Hope this email finds you doing well this Monday morning and had a great weekend.  Wanted to share Tim's Time Outs with you again.   START MOVING: There's a way forward.  To find it; START MOVING.  To make some progress, you must make some effort... GET GOING, make the effort, persist at it, and the progress you seek will come.  If your concerned about making mistakes, your concerns are very well founded, but holding yourself back because you fear you'll make a mistake is the biggest mistake of all!! The positive possibilities are out there.  The way to discover them, and to make the most of them, is to get yourself out there too.  A positive change requires positive action.  This is the moment you have,and this is the time to take that... 09/14/2026

 Real Estate Agents by Zipcode — https://www.facebook.com/groups/realestateagentsbyzipcode   09/14/2026

 650 Military AveBaltimore County 21208650 Military Ave Pikesville: Looks Small, Lives Large Every home has a list of features. Some homes also have a story. When Kelly and Mette decided it was time to say goodbye to 650 Military Avenue, they did something very special. They wrote a letter to the future owner, not about square footage or kitchens or bedrooms, but about why this unusual home was created, the family it kept close, the improvements they made with care, and the memories they will leave behind. I could describe this house for pages, but no one can tell this part of its story better than the people who called it home.  "Dear Future Homeowner,We wanted to share a little about this home and why it has meant so much to our family.When we purchased this property, our vision was t... 09/14/2026

Whether you are still working diligently or now retired, every day you wake, you need to make it count.  Do something memorable, or pay it forward, or do something that will absolutely make your day when the day is over!In real estate, we made things happen, assisted buyers into their dream homes, and sold homes for those wanting to move.   We made/make things happen!  Enjoy this journey!     09/14/2026

Bill Salvatore of Arizona Elite Properties featured a post to Re-Blog today on Active Rain. Good post by Ken today, and worthy of our daily Re-B. Gilbert AZ  GILBERT ARIZONA HOMES FOR SALE, Bill Salvatore, AZVHV / Helping Arizona Heroes, New-Construction Advantage, Realtor, sell my house, 2026 Market, Chandler  #Sellmyhouse #whatsmyhomeworth #homevalues#2026market #ArizonaEliteProperties #ChandlerAZ#yourValleyProperty #GilbertRealtor #AZVHV#buyingaHome #LiveinSunnyAZ #BillSalvatore The 2026 Economic Report of the President includes a chart that should stop anyone involved in housing. From 2000 to 2023, real house prices increased 81.9% while real median income increased only 12.3%. Housing prices rose nearly seven times faster than income. That gap is the affordability crisis in one pic... 09/13/2026

SENIOR REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST DESIGNATION COURSEPROVIDED BY CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSWHEN: September 30 & October 1, 2026 (Wednesday & Thursday) 9:00 am-4:00 pmWHERE: Live on ZoomCOST: CAR members $240, non members $480, already SRES agents $99REGISTER: CAR website, https://www.car.org/, CAR Education Calendar, scroll to SRES courseNOTE: Course is worth 12 CE credits to Certified Senior Advisor members, NOT DRE CREDITS  09/13/2026

This past weekend, so much was going on. We paused to remember and honor the heroes whose lives were taken on September 11, 2001.I still remember that morning so clearly. I was on my way to the office when Geno called and told me to turn around and come home. Like so many of us, that day changed the way I viewed the world forever. It was a rude awakening that made us realize how fragile life can be and how much we can take for granted.Recently, I came across a quote by Corrie Ten Boom that stopped me:“Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future.”I have been thinking about those words ever since.We remember September 11 not simply to look backward, but to remember the courage, strength, compassion and selflessness that emerged from one of the darkest da... 09/15/2026