Posts from — February 2010

This video came from the ThinkBigWorkSmall guys. I tend to take what these two say with a grain of salt, but this video is pretty astounding. Is this why the banks have been bailed out? In a system like this, it’s no wonder why many loan modifications are not working. Please watch, filter, and let me know what you think.

I asked a friend if I could post some images of before and after from one if his recent redeveloped properties. When we hear the word “flip” we sometimes think of an investor slopping on some paint and doing basic cosmetic repairs to hide the real condition of the property. That’s not the case though with Housing Group Fund, a local company in the Sacramento area. They are one of a handful of builders who are doing some really great redevelopment work with SHRA under the umbrella of the NSP, which stands for “Neighborhood Stabilization Program”.

Enjoy some before and after pictures of an entry level home in Sacramento.

If you have any questions about the NSP, I am happy to let you know what I know, or connect you with Dennis Lanni of Housing Group Fund. No, I am not being paid to advertise somebody’s services. It’s definitely worth mentioning though because many first-time homebuyers are finding really great homes in fantastic condition. Moreoever, this type of redevelopment helps challenged neighborhoods improve.

I mentioned previously that I asked some Sacramento business friends to read through the book Trust Agents by Brogan & Smith. Well, our book club began today and we have nine participants from fields such as real estate appraisal, real estate sales, comedy, and publishing.

I’m very excited at how well our first meeting went. It’s so good to sift through ideas and make each other better. I have high hopes for our next three gatherings. The main theme that came out in today’s conversation is how important it is to be authentic in how we do business, and especially in any marketing strategy (whether that involves being online or not). Being yourself is irreplaceable.  

On another note, it’s great to have two out-of-town real estate appraisers from Georgia & Alabama able to join us on Skype for our 90-minute conversation. 

Earlier in the day today too I became Twitter friends with the authors of Trust Agents. Two hours before our book club I messaged both authors to ask for any advice or tips for our group. Here is what they had to say:

I’m in awe how technology has paved the way for us to so casually exchange information and ideas, or even connect with authors. A while back I was listening to NPR or reading something on Copyblogger about the definition of a book. I don’t recall the exact source, so I’ve mentioned both. The classic definition of a book goes something like this, “A set of written, printed, or blank pages fastened along one side and encased between protective covers”. This sounds standard and agreeable, but as the author of the piece I read was talking about, there is an experiential element that one can add to the standard book definition (or at least to the process of reading it). He said that the entire book experience can be more than just what is inside from cover to cover, because it can sometimes include interaction with the author too. I’m not saying I buy into this concept fully, but today I experienced directly how part of reading Trust Agents included a couple of tweets with the guys who wrote the book, and those tweets added some flavor to our conversation.

As a kid I remember walking around a local carnival looking at the array of booths, games and cheesy prizes – mostly Lamborghini Countach mirrors and unicorn stuffed animals. I recall strolling up to a particular vendor, a scraggly looking character, and checking out his set-up of cork handguns. I wondered how these pistols worked and I was contemplating if I could really shoot the cork hard enough to knock down an aluminum can and then win something. After a few questions about the guns, and with nobody in line, the vendor was quick to say, ”Kid, if you’re not going to pay, then get the hell out of here.”

It’s funny how we remember certain things. I really don’t know why a memory like this has been lodged in my mind for decades, but I do see a parable here for business (and life). It’s so important to treat people right, whether they end up being customers or not. It’s a real mistake to view others for what we can get out of them, as if people were only potential transactions or targets for profit.

In a day and age where we have amazing technology at our fingertips and incredibly cool gadgets to help us do business, still the best device we have is the way we treat others. That’s the moral of the story. Well, and don’t tell nine year olds to “get the hell out of here” if you’re working a carnival.

I had two appraisal inspections in the City of Galt today and I couldn’t pass up this photo opportunity. While snapping pictures of comps, I happened to see a dog walking around on the roof of a two-story house. Security dog? Sun tanning? Neighborhood Watch program taken to the extreme? This made me smile.

Do you have pets that enjoy heights or the roof? Comments are welcome below.

I sighted something interesting the other day in a neighborhood in Rancho Cordova (next door to my house). There was a telephone pole leaning toward a single story house within fall distance. The photo almost looks “photoshopped”, but it’s not. Even if you failed geometry, it’s quite obvious that this pole is not at 90 degrees. 

If I was appraising this property, this would be something I would need to mention as a potential safety hazard, don’t you think? After all, most people think a “Flat Teresa” is not a great idea in real life. Lenders would want to know about something like this too (and they always ask about high power tension lines).

This past weekend I had my first taste of the lumberjack trade (sort of). Two friends came over and we chopped down a 30-40 foot tree in my front yard. This tree had a natural lean already, was no longer producing leaves, and was plagued with mistletoe. It had really become an eyesore, and I sure am glad to see it gone. This first chopping experience was actually quite fun. The clean-up on the other hand….. I could’ve lived without that. Enjoy a video below of the moment the tree fell.

In real estate appraisal terminology, we uprooted a fixture that had no contributory value whatsover. Actually, this tree probably contributed negatively to the site since the cost for removal would be the best indicator of value.