iPod Touch - Too Cool

My Website on my iPod Touch
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison

WOW! Has it been a long time since I posted or what?

I got an iPod Touch from Dana this year, and it is the coolest iPod ever. I'm in the process of getting all of my information from my Palm Pilot moved over to it. The Safari web browser is incredible.

I'm sure I'll be posting more about this in the near future.

Have a safe and happy New Years!

First Snow Of The Year

I knew we were supposed to get some snow, but how great is this? Kyle had the day off, the dogs were happy to have company all day playing with them, and we are able to get in and out of the driveway without having to shovel too much. Now this is how winter is supposed to feel. I even had a nice hot meal waiting for Dana when she got home from work. Hey, I love to cook anyway.

I spent part of the day today watching "Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares" on BBC America. I love that show! What a motivator. It's amazing that when people actually listen to him the progress the make in turning their failing businesses around. Too bad he's not a licensed Real Estate Broker, that would be a show worth seeing (Donkey! Your business is in the shit, get out there and knock on some doors and don't come back until you have a listing appointment or buyer!).

RealtorTech is still up and running with no reported issues. New invites for additional users will be going out later this week (yes, folks at Exit Realty Central will be in this round as well as a few loan officers and title agents).

If I've never told you before, my wife is quite a good singer. I can't carry a tune to save my life, but Dana has a great voice. Her home office is about 15 feet from mine, and she's singing along with iTunes as I type this. It is such a joy to hear her and know she has her mind off of things long enough to get caught up in music like that. I'm so glad I bought her an iPod last year for Christmas! She has talent. When I'm motivated to play my guitar, I usually turn it up too loud and hear Dana and Kyle shout "Turn that damn thing down". Oh, to be a frustrated amateur musician! At least the dogs enjoy my talent.

RealtorTech Is Alive & Well!

My social networking site for real estate professionals, RealtorTech, is up and running with no reported issues. I have 2 users added with several other invites out there waiting for a response. But so far, so good. (click to enlarge screen shot)

As I sit here listening to Frank Sinatra on my iPod and checking the site I can't help but wonder if I build this site, will they come? I know ours is an extremely competitive industry. I talked with a friend today at my former brokerage about the current and future markets, and that in the very near future, technology is going to have a MAJOR impact on this business no matter what your past successes have been. One major area is going to be print advertising. It's slowly on it's way out.

So, will my site be a stepping stone to the future, or another site that is ahead of its time and dies a slow death because of lack of understanding? I'm not sure, but it's sure going to be exciting to find out! As Frank would say, "I did it my way".

Beta Testing My Own Social Networking Site

It's Sunday once again, and it's cold and crappy outside. Perfect weather to get some coding done and try some new technologies.

I've started my own social networking site for Realtors called RealtorTech and over the next few weeks I will be inviting several local Realtors to help me put it through it's paces, find bugs, and make improvements. I've been on Active Rain for some time, but the problem with it is that it's not local. I've made some friends and gotten some ideas, but I like the idea of a local site where people can share ideas, thoughts, and have meet-ups in person. No one was doing that here that I could find, so I did it myself.

If you are a real estate professional or someone involved in real estate transactions and would like to help me beta test the system, I will send you an invitation to join my network.

It's fun, it's free, and it's a chance to learn about technology without being a geek. Also a great way to promote your properties to other active, local agents!

OpenOffice.org Just Keeps Getting Better!

It's been a while since I posted about OpenOffice.org (and NeoOffice.org for you fortunate Mac users out there!) and I got an email today that just proves you don't have to shell out big bucks for an office software suite.

OpenOffice.org just went live with their OpenOffice.org Community Forum page and it's great! I poked around on it for a while, and have to say, for a free product this site is pretty impressive. One more reason to "Stop Paying The Bill".

I won't bore you with my take on the site, I just invite you to click on the link above and see it for yourself. I've been using these products for years now and love them.

Enjoy!

Sunday

Got the rest of the leaves cleaned up yesterday with Kyle's help. We did have to break down and buy a new battery for the tractor ($49.00) but that's OK.

Not much else happening other than finishing off the rest of the Thanksgiving leftovers, I'm glad that's almost over.

Click here to see Apple's Small Business Tip of the week!

Week-end Again!

Too much going on and not enough time to get it done.

We had a small amount of snow yesterday morning, and I have say, I'm actually looking forward to some more of it. I went out to chop the rest of the leaves yesterday and the tractor had a dead battery. It was down so low it wouldn't start with jumper cables. So, I had to charge it for a few hours before it finally started. Now the back yard is covered in leaves again, but Kyle and I are going to take care of them today.

I just uploaded a bunch of photos to my FLICKR site for those of you interested in seeing them. Click here to see them.

Seems like Sunday already, but I'm glad it isn't. We have 2 days to get a lot of things done and we are staying home all day today, which is something we seem to never do. Dana is working inside, Kyle and I are working outside. We should all be nice and crabby by dinner time, ha-ha.



Kyle & Holly bust a move!

Monday

Still feeling a bit under the weather and feeling like I'm not getting enough sleep, even though I slept over 10 hours. No amount of coffee and vitamins seem to help.

I took this photo of Kyle while driving to dinner the other night, hope you enjoy it. And be sure to click here to see Apples small business quick tip of the week. (Click photo to enlarge)

New Monitor

I love my Macintosh as you know and recently added a 22" Samsung SyncMaster 226BW Wide Screen monitor. Here's what my work area looks like now:
(click to enlarge)

Dana is Home!

Dana returned home from a short trip to visit family in Phoenix. The flight there was fine, but she went through hell getting home. Her flight from Phoenix to Dallas had problems after they were in the air for a few minutes and had to return (they lost the navigation system). Nothing scary for her, but I would have been in a mild panic.

Getting home was trying, but we were all glad to see her today! Her brother and his family took her to her first NHL hockey game while she was there, so now she has an interest in seeing the Dayton Bombers play a few games this season, which is great! Kyle and I love watching the Bombers. So much more fun than football.

I finally turned the furnace on for the first time this year this morning. It was cold and I knew Kyle would complain about the temperature. I just wish the leaves would finally finish falling so I could get them chopped up once and for all.

Be sure to click here to see the Apple's Small Business quick tip of the week video. I know you should all be using Macs, but you don't know it yet!

1984 Apple's Macintosh Commercial

I know this is an Apple Commercial, but it reminds me of a National Association of Realtors convention. Suddenly, someone throws technology out to the masses and says "You don't have to be mediocre!". Oh, how I just wish they would embrace it.

Where Did The Week-End Go?

This week-end seemed to fly by. We started Saturday morning off with the Octoberfest parade here in town. Kyle was in the Junior High Band playing in his second parade and seemed to enjoy it. Then it was off to Fairborn to visit Dana's father and have lunch at one of our favorite Chinese places (see photo - don't know why Kyle is frowning). We then went with him to the Tile Store. It's a store that sells nothing but tile. I was interested for about 5 minutes then found a comfortable chair to sit in. Then it was off to visit my dad and take him out to dinner.

My policy of not working on Sundays is paying off by taking a much deserved break to spend time with my family and not let cell phone calls interrupt the day. We enjoyed time together and got some more work done around the house as well. I am getting Dana's motorcycle ready to put it up for sale, so if yo know anyone interested in a Suzuki Savage 650, have I got a deal for them!

We also got caught up on some sleep, which is always in short supply around our home. It was wonderful, and the cooler weather made it more enjoyable.

Enjoy your week!

Much Needed Re-Charge

Did something for myself this week-end, I took it off! No phones, no email, no meetings. It was a much needed re-charge of my batteries and I suggest everyone do this for themselves once in a while.

I got the brush pile from the back of our property loaded up and hauled away. I put a new battery in my motorcycle (which it badly needed) and started to work polishing it up and cleaning the chrome. I didn't even think about business. It's got me thinking, I deserve a life too. So, starting tomorrow:

My normal business hours are 10:00 am until 6:00 pm, with evening & Saturday hours available by appointment only. No Sunday hours. Calls to me after 6:00 pm will be returned the following business day.

I usually work through lunch, so I'm putting in the full 8 hour day. Since I don't typically do open houses (they are a complete waste of time) I've decided to take Sundays off and shut the cell off on Saturday afternoon when my last appointment is finished.

Will I lose out on business? Probably not. I will work with clients that are willing to work with me and respect that I have a life as well. Life is too short not to enjoy it.

I love being self employed!

Comic Life Part 1

Finally spent some time last night playing with some of the software I have loaded on my Mac and came up with this creation.

Thanks to my good friends Jeff & Sue Garber for appreciating my sense of humor and being such good sports.

(Click to enlarge)

Talk Nerdy To Me

Today when Kyle got home from school, he asked me about 802.11 wireless and what the differences were. He actually has a good understanding of it, which impressed me and we had a nice little conversation about it.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree does it?

How to Build a Laser Listener

Not sure how well this works, but it might be a good project for Kyle and I to try some week-end.

Housing Market Warming Up

Home sales statewide showed an increase during the month of July compared to June, with sales similar to those of a year ago. Favorable interest rates and a correction in prices have helped as well as a supply of housing in all price categories according to The Ohio Association of Realtors.

Locally, the Greater Dayton area shows January - July 2007 sales as:

2006 - 8,351
2007 - 8,257
Change is -3.2%

Average home sale prices for our area were reported as:

2006 - $136,765
2007 - $135,602
Change is -.09 %

The Greater Dayton area faired well compared to other communities in Ohio. Only Zainesville showed an increase in the number of units sold and an increased sale price.

So what does all this mean? It means that people are still buying and selling homes in this market, regardless of what the media may be telling you. A properly priced home will move in this market, so if you are considering buying or selling, there's never been a better time.

Real Estate Education 101

Dual Agencies and why consumers should avoid them:

According to the Consumer Guide to Agency Relationships, a Dual Agency exists when the same agent and brokerage who represent the seller also represents they buyer. When a brokerage and its agents become dual agents, they must maintain a neutral position in the transaction. They may not advocate the position of one client over the best interests of the other client, or disclose any confidential information to the other party without written consent.

Sounds simple enough. Yet, the entire reason for obtaining the services of a Realtor is to protect your interests in any real estate transaction and get you the best deal possible. How can someone have a neutral position in a deal and still claim to be protecting your best interests? They can't, it's a huge conflict of interest. Someone, usually the buyer is going to feel taken advantage of in these deals since the agent works on commission.

I advertise that I don't do dual agency relationships for this very reason, and I never will. I don't understand why the state even allows them. Yes, every other Realtor out there (well, there are a few exceptions) will tell you why dual agencies are great. But the ultimate reason they do so is to capture the entire commission plain and simple. They can argue with me all they want about the benefits to their clients, but it ultimately comes down to money in their pocket, not yours.

Yes, I will show someone a property I have listed if they call and want to see it. But I make it very clear from the beginning that if they have an interest in purchasing the property after seeing it, that they will have to work with another agent to represent them.

If you work with an agent that performs dual agencies, you are doing a huge dis-service to yourself in what is probably the single largest investment transaction you will ever perform.

Protect your interests and just say "No" to dual agency agreements.

Vintage Computer Feastival 2006

For those of you over the age of 35, how many of these old vintage machines do you recognize? Makes me wish I had never sold my old Commodore Amiga 500!

Exit Realty Central - Fairborn Office

This is the Fairborn office where I work (when not working at home).

Exit Realty Central will also be opening a new office in Beavercreek in early October. If you're in need of a Realtor, or a Realtor in need of a new home, I'd love to show you around and what we have to offer. No matter what your needs are, contacting me may be the most profitable thing you do all day.

Stanley Fat Max

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Ever since I changed to Exit Realty Central I have been busier than I ever have been. Seems like every day is bringing me new opportunities. You may hear that the market is slowing, well, I am seeing things a bit differently.

I'm listing a duplex tonight and taking along my trusty Stanley Fat Max Laser Measurer. It is one of the best tools a Realtor can have in their technology tool box. I can measure a home in minutes. I've been using it since last year. An absolutely great product!

Just got Kyle home from a dental appointment (no cavities!) and getting ready to head out for the evening. I'll post more frequently, I promise.

Another Browser

Thursday evening, and finally a little free time.  Might as well download yet another web browser to play around with.

Yes, it's true.  I love Firefox, Safari is great and growing on me, so why not add Opera and see how my website and BLOG look on it?  You can't have too many free browsers, right?

So, I go to the Opera web site and download the software.  Hmmm, pretty easy so far.  It seems to install just fine on my Mac (I know, everything works better on a Mac, there, I said it!).  OK, loads up fairly quickly.  Whoa!  How cool is this.  And it's free?  Even better.  No 'Bill' to pay.

Amazing!  Isn't technology wonderful?

3 Years of Happiness

Today I celebrate my 3rd wedding anniversary to my wonderful wife Dana! We've been through a lot in the past 3 years, and I'm glad to have her in my life.

I Love You Dana!

I Have A New Home!

Hello everyone!

Well, as of yesterday afternoon, I have a new home to hang my real estate license in. I'm happy to announce my affiliation with Exit Realty Central in Fairborn, OH. I have talked many times in the past about how happy I am to be part of the Exit Realty Family and am excited about this change. Dana and I have a lot of family and friends in Greene County and anticipate moving there next year once the school year finishes for Kyle.

Dana and I have been busy working on our kitchen. We are taking out cabinets & counters this week and getting ready to start on the floor. It should look quite different by the time we are done. All the work is driving the dogs wild, they hate power tools.

BEOS Part 1

Probably one of the coolest OS's ever made. If you are currently running this on an Intel or AMD platform successfully, let me know. I have an old Pentium II machine that I would like to try it out on.

Rebate Hell Part 2

I would like to let you know that after a phone call to the Lowes store manager where we bought our appliances, Saturday we got a check in the mail from Whirlpool for the amount we were owed on the rebates.

Thanks to Lowes for helping us get our money and not brushing us aside to deal with the rebate firms alone. We appreciate your efforts.

Exciting News

OK, maybe it's exciting to me, but it's my BLOG anyway.

After talking with several eateries in the Englewood/Clayton area my team and I are happy to announce that we have selected Artisans Cafe in Englewood to do twice monthly Meet & Greets and talk to folks about real estate, real estate investing, and real estate careers. We are hoping to start in August, meeting from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM on the 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month. The Davison Group will supply free coffee & snacks prepared by Artisans Cafe to those stopping by to chat with us.

We decided on Artisans Cafe because of the wonderful meals we've had there and the great service. They offer a very healthy alternative to most places, and have a great selection of vegetarian meals. I eat vegetarian several weeks each month to help control my weight and it's been great to go there and have so many choices to select from.

Teri and I are excited by this opportunity to talk to people about their real estate needs and answer questions that many of you may have, whether you are first time buyers or looking to make a change from your current home. If you're thinking about real estate as an investment, or maybe even a career opportunity, stop by and see what we have to offer. Oh, and if you want a great choice for dinner on those nights, grab a table and order a meal while you're there. Just remember to save room for the best ice cream in town!

West Alexandria Train Station

These photos are part of my story for The Register Herald in Eaton. Click here to read the story.

Click on any of these photos to enlarge them. Enjoy!

Cool Multiplication Technique For Large Numbers

This really works! You might want to share this with your children.

LifeHacker

Dana and I were shopping this week-end at one of the local mega-chain bookstores and I purchased a copy of Lifehacker: 88 tech tricks to turbocharge your day. I must say, it's been an interesting read so far, and two of the hacks I have read and started using more than justify the purchase price. You can also visit the Lifehacker website for daily updates and additional info that is provided for free.

I've started asking myself the question "But What Good Is It" when I think of technology and things I'm using in my business. Dana asked me this question a few years ago before I purchased something and now that I've started reading this book, I'm haunted by her simple question. I think I'll weigh my technology decisions against this simple question in the future. Sure, some technologies take time to mature and gain acceptance, but if you can pace yourself and limit yourself to a few technologies a year, you can still keep up and live a very happy, less cluttered life. With all of the hyperlinks in cyber space, it's easy to get caught up in all the excitement.

Flowers Around The House...

Rebate Hell

We are officially in rebate hell in The Davison Household. Over the past 7 months we have purchased many items that include a rebate, and we have gotten only 1 check back since then. Dana and I have both made several phone calls to the different rebate firms and can only seem to get uncaring individuals that have about as much interest in helping us as they do in donating a kidney. We are out over $700.00 as well as our time. Seems we are not alone in our struggles with rebates. Well enough is enough.

If you want my business in the future, don't try to get me to buy something based on price and then insult my intelligence by saying the low price is after a rebate, which we both know will never come. If you can't mark the item down in your store at the time of purchase, I'm probably going to buy from someone that will, or buy a different product that doesn't offer a rebate. We both know the rebate is never coming so why not buy the higher priced item, it's going to cost the same anyway. It's outright theft, and the retailers know it. Oh, and why not try to sell me an extended service agreement at the same time on an electronics purchase of $70.00 or less for $15.00, really insult my intelligence. Don't forget to try and sell me a magazine subscription as I'm checking out as well. That always cheers me up. Maybe your cashier is in Amway too and can get me into their down line and start making really big money like they are (this actually happened to me once) so I won't have to worry about the money I'm losing on rebate scams.

OK, off the soap box for now. It's time to feed the dogs anyway.

Tasty!

Dana has never cooked eggplant before, but last night we tried our own version of eggplant parmesan and it was INCREDIBLE! We prepared it with whole wheat pasta and my own concoction of pasta sauce and served it with Cesar salads. I was surprised that Kyle liked it, but he did and even had some of the leftovers for lunch with me today. Needless to say, we have a new top 5 favorite in our home.

We stopped by my sisters home for a while this evening to help her celebrate her 50th birthday!!! It's hard to believe she's 50, but it's even harder to believe I'm 41 as well. Lori, I'm glad you're my sister. We've been through a lot of good times and bad times, and we've always been there for each other. I'm glad we could help you celebrate your special day.

Monster Blue

The good folks at Monster Energy have a 10 calorie drink that rocks! I'm a coffee drinker (I don't do decaf, what's the point?) but lately even coffee isn't keeping me alert in the late afternoon. I've enjoyed Monster Energy drinks for the past few months, but cut back on them while trying to lose some weight. I knew they made a diet version but most of my local stores didn't carry it. Thankfully my local Marsh supermarket now has them in stock!

If you haven't tried their drinks, try one in place of a cup of coffee and see what a difference it makes. They taste great too. And no, I'm not paid to endorse their product.

iPhone But You Don't Answer...

OK, I've had this conversation with about 12 people in the past few days, and to set the record straight, I didn't run out and purchase an iPhone when it made its recent debut. I haven't even ventured to the Apple store to see what all the fuss is about.

Yes, I know, I talk about how much I love products from Apple to everyone that will listen. Yes, I think everyone should switch to a Mac (do you hear me in Redmond?). Yes, I will probably buy an iPhone at some point in my life. Just not now. My Motorola Razr does a fine job for me, and it has a great battery life. And, my trusty Palm Pilot is still alive and well, helping me keep my schedule and contacts with me at all times. Maybe I'm a bit nostalgic, but the day I get rid of my Palm Pilot will be a sad day. It's such a great tool that is truly user friendly. But, progress can't be stopped, and I love new gadgets. Sure, I could get rid of the Palm and do more with my Razr, but right now I don't want to. I like the larger screen it offers as well as being able to write on it.

By the way, did you know that the Safari web browser is available for Windows? I haven't downloaded it yet to try on a Windows machine here in the house, but I have read some good things about it, especially the speed it offers. Click here to be taken to the download site. Oh, just as iTunes is free, so if the Safari web browser. I use Safari and Firefox, but am slowly moving more towards Safari. I love Firefox and have used it for years. I can't see myself ever getting rid of it. It's tabbed browser is the best. As for Internet Explorer, I would rather eat dirt.

I'm A Real Estate Geek...

At least that's what Teri Lussier thinks when she mentions me in her blog The Brick Ranch and explains her decision to move to Exit Realty Partners. Hey, it's OK, I don't mind being called a geek as long as people realize I save them money on their commissions by being one.

Teri and I struck up a friendship after I found her BLOG. She has great content and I emailed her after finding it asking if she was interested in sharing ideas about technology and how it can be applied to real estate. I had no idea that she would move to Exit, but that's fine too. We are already chatting, bouncing ideas off each other. I have a listing coming up that I promised to take her on so we can both photograph the property and see the differences. It should be fun.

Yesterday was miserable hot so we spent the majority of the day hibernating in the air conditioning. Kyle had a friend over and with the exception of going out to dinner, we stayed in. I spent part of the day watching "The Real Estate Pros' on television. One episode in particular involved Trademark Properties opening a retail outlet in Charleston, SC. It was a neat idea, and one that I think other firms will be following in short order. I think our office could benefit from this idea, maybe we will change our office format in the future to allow something like this. It's really consumer friendly from what I saw.

I finally moved my Palm Pilot over to my Mac yesterday as well. It was quite painless, as everything has been using the Mac. The only thing that I haven't started converting are the databases I have on my PC. I plan on purchasing FileMaker Pro in the near future to see how difficult it will be to move Access databases. If it works as well as it's advertised, I should be able to say goodbye to Windows forever.

10 Things I'm Thankful For

With the recent loss of my mom, I've spent a lot of time thinking about my own life (I'm sure everyone does that with the loss of a loved one). My mom wouldn't want me to stop living and enjoying life with her passing, so I thought about the 10 things I'm most thankful for and thought I would share them here:

1. I'm thankful for my family, immediate and extended. I don't know how I would have gotten through the past month without them. Dana, Kyle, Dad, Lori & Rick, and Ray & Bev are my support system. Our extended family has been great, especially with their concerns for my dad and making sure he will be OK.
   
2. Friends. You never realize just how many people care for you until there is a crisis. I'm fortunate to be friends with so many great people.
3. Our pets. Maybe they should be included as family, but I think they deserve their own spot. Their love is unconditional.
   
4. A career I love. Work is the best therapy for me, and getting back to work has been a real blessing. It's not something I dread, and I feel sorry for those people that have to get up and go to jobs every day that they hate just to pay the bills.
5. Home cooked meals. So many people brought food to my dads house so we didn't have to do a lot of cooking or go for take out, it will be tough to eat out as much as we do.
6. Music. I would gladly give up watching television if I had to make a choice between it and music. It's an important element in my life, whether listening or playing. I can't imagine a life without music.
   
7. Apple Computer. They make great products that I use every day and make my life and work just a little more enjoyable.
8. The Internet. It's helped keep family and friends close and let us share pictures, emails and videos in a way that was never before possible.
9. Comedians. Life is serious enough, take time to laugh often and laugh loud.
10. Bookstores. If I were independently wealthy and never had to work another day in my life, I would spend several days a week at the various bookstores around the area reading, drinking coffee. and buying book cases for all the new books I just bought.
    

Sad News

On Tuesday, June 26th, my mom lost her battle with liver cancer. She passed away peacefully at home with her family around her, which is what she wanted. In lieu of flowers, mom requested donations be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Battered Womens Shelter or Hospice of Dayton.

Thursday

Sorry I haven't posted a little more frequently, but those of you close to me know that my mother is very ill and is getting Hospice care.

Thanks for all the calls and emails from everyone out there. My family and I appreciate it very much.

Frampton Rocks!

Say whatever you want about this guy, so long as you remember to say he's one of the best guitar players out there.

Dana and I and some friends of ours went to The Fraze Friday night and saw Peter Frampton with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. What a show, and what a showman! Talk about someone having the best job in the world, this guy has it. He has fun on stage, and you can tell his band has a great time as well. One of the nice things about Frampton is that he gives everyone in his band the chance to perform in the spotlight.

Whoever was responsible for writing the parts for the Cincinnati Pops to play along with did a great job and deserves a lot of credit. It was a great evening filled with great music.

Get A Free Home Listing Kit!

Are you interested in listing your home for sale and not sure where to start? My new home listing kit is for you, and it's FREE!

This listing kit is filled with helpful information that every home owner should review before putting their home on the market. It's a buyers market out there, and I can help you get your home sold if you follow the advice and tips in this packet, along with my unique Digital Marketing Solution.

It also contains my updated Interactive Business Card on CD that has become so popular. You can view it from any computer that has a web browser. You can also search for properties right from the Interactive Business Card if you are connected to the Internet while viewing it. How cool is that?

And remember, a lot of Realtors talk about all the technology they use, but how is that putting money in your pocket? I'm the only agent I know that is offering a maximum commission of 4.75% when listing a home or single family investment property. I also offer commissions as low as 2% (see the packet for details and see which of these full service options fits your needs). I can do this because I have used technology to lower my costs and provide superior service so I pass this savings along to my clients. Let me put The Power of Technology to work for you!

Call or email me and I'll send one to you immediately. I can also email you the packet in PDF format so you don't have to wait.

Market Comment

Mortgage bond prices fell last week pushing mortgage interest rates considerably higher. The weakness followed Fed Chairman Bernanke’s remarks indicating inflation risks are on the upside. Global economic growth, inflation fears, and the European Central Bank rate hike resulted in a diminished appetite for US backed securities from foreign central banks. This initial selling pressure snowballed resulting in US based fixed income securities taking a beating. For the week, interest rates on government and conventional loans rose by about 1 full discount point.

The consumer price index Friday will be the most important event this week. The Treasury auction, retail sales, Fed “Beige Book”, producer price index, industrial production, capacity use, and consumer sentiment data will also be important.

Bad News For Realtors Charging High Commissions

I came across this article on The New York Times website and thought I would share it. Click here to read the story. Yes, if you are a Realtor charging 6 or 7 percent (some are even higher in this market, can you believe that?) you are in for a very rude awakening, and a lot sooner than you think.

I leave it up to you out there in cyberspace to make up your own mind. My business model of charging a maximum commission of 4.75% seems to be making more and more sense. But, you'll never get other Realtors to agree. They have to protect their 'Turf' and keep charging those high commissions.

Look at what the Internet has done for Amazon.com, E-Trade, and Geico. These are terrific examples of what technology can do. They have lowered their costs by using technology and pass the savings along to the consumer. That is my business model as well. You hear a lot of Realtors bragging about all the technology they use (sorry folks, searching the MLS isn't exactly something to brag about, my 12 year old can do a lot better than most of you) but how is it saving you money on a real estate transaction? That's the real question.

I'm a Citizen Journalist!

Happy Friday everyone!

For those readers of this BLOG, I wanted to let you know that I'm now a Citizen Journalist for The Register Herald in Preble County. Click here to see my articles section. I just posted my first article and anxiously await it to come up on their site.

If you have anything you would like to share with the members of the Preble Lifestyle community, let me know so it can be presented here. I seem to always have a camera with me and love to post pictures.

Have a great week-end!

Dana asked me to post these...

...and I always do what she asks me to do, well, usually.

4.75% Maximum Commission

Good morning and happy Tuesday!

I am pleased to announce that I am now able to offer all of my clients the ability to list their homes for sale with me with an absolute cap of 4.75% on the listing commission. Because of my extensive use of technology to operate my business, I have been able to dramatically cut my costs and I am passing the savings on to the consumers in the form of lower commissions.

Here's a quick breakdown of my services and fees:

• Option 1 - 2% + $500.00 (1% goes to the buyers brokerage)
• Option 2 - 3% + $500.00 (2% goes to the buyers brokerage)
• Option 3 - 4% + $500.00 (3% goes to the buyers brokerage)
• Option 4 - 4.75% (3% goes to the buyers brokerage)

These options are all FULL SERVICE PLANS. I will personally place the yard sign, then photograph and color correct each photo to make it stand out on the Internet. Your home will be listed in the Dayton Area Board of Realtors MLS system, along with Realtor.com as well as my personal website. But that's just the start. I also advertise your home on a multitude of other websites, giving your property greater exposure on the Internet. I use websites that are proven to attract buyers. My unique digital marketing campaign will reach a larger audience of qualified buyers, not just mass marketing to uninterested, unqualified buyers.

Don't let another agent try to tell you why you should work with them and pay a 7% (or higher) commission, or believe they can do more to promote and sell your home. I provide full service with lower prices. Other agents just don't have the technology skills required to be able to pass this savings along to their clients.

Call me today to schedule a personal consultation at (937) 609-5388.

Realtor Open Houses

A new agent in our office was sponsoring a Realtors only open house today in Clayton. I stopped by for a while and chatted with her and got a tour of a rather impressive house with over 4,000 sq. ft. of living space, not including the basement. Shortly after I arrived, another member of my firm stopped by as well.

The question I have is if Open Houses really work? I have sold one home that came from a Sunday Open House in the entire time I have had my license. I have attended a few Realtor only open houses and didn't see a huge turn out. But, for some strange reason, the public is under the impression that an open house will get a home sold quickly. My personal observation is that you usually get the nosey neighbors that want to see inside your home and your possessions. They are so reluctant to sign the register, a lot of times, they never come through, afraid you will know they were walking through your home.

I hold precious few open houses. If a client asks me to, I will, but I will explain the realities of an open house and they usually agree not to have it open. Most times, open houses are held for the benefit of the Realtor, not the clients selling the home.

Proof you don't need Windows!

MLS on my MacBook
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison

Here is the photographic proof of my MacBook running the MLS software without installing Windows. If you're a Realtor in the Dayton Ohio area and are interested in getting a Mac for your business, don't buy Windows just to access the MLS. I can help you get this running in about 5 minutes.

MLS on my MacBook!!!

OK, deep down, I know I'm a geek. It's been quite a few years now since I was paid to write software for a living, but since I write a lot of my own code still for my real estate business, I guess I will never lose my passion for technology.

Cut to may 29th, 2007. I was on the verge of having to break down and install (UGH!) Windows on my new MacBook. The thoughts of doing so were almost unbearable. I bought the Mac because of all the problems I have seen in our office with Vista, and the MLS only supports MS Internet Explorer. After getting the same old song from the local MLS, I contacted the software vendor directly in California to complain. Well, it seems that the good people in California like the Mac as much as I do, and also support using a Citrix Client that I can use with OS X! Oh happy day! After about 10 minutes on the phone, my Mac was running the Citrix Client and I was logged into the MLS without issue.

Now if we can just get them to support FireFox and not have to run through Citrix, all will be right in the world. But for now, Citrix is working great and I didn't have to dumb-down my Mac by installing Windows!

Happy Birthday Dana!

Today is my wife's birthday and I am very grateful to have such a wonderful woman for my wife.

I Love You Sweetie!

Happy Birthday!!!!

New Lead!

New Lead!
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison.

I'm always smiling when I get a good qualified lead. I was working the phones at home after spending the morning at the office when I took this photo from my MacBook.

I have a new marketing campaign coming out late next week so be sure to check my website for some news that could save you thousands of dollars when you list your home with me!

Why Join Exit Realty?

I've had several agents over the past few days talk to me about making a move to Exit Realty Partners. I thought this video might help answer some of your questions.

Tuesday Ramblings

Well, Dana is safely in Phoenix for our niece's graduation. I miss her already, but am glad she is there, visiting and having fun.

Lots of stuff going on this week. It's Kyle's last week of school and he can hardly wait for it to be finished. I was the same way at his age, didn't really like school until I went to college. But, when you're 12 like Kyle is, you can't wait for summer to get here.

Real estate is keeping my busy. Working on a new marketing campaign and will start rolling it out next week. Would love to share some of it now, but just can't. Sorry.

Well, back to the grindstone. Have a great day!

60 Minutes & Realtors

Just got home a short while ago and I am exhausted. I feel like I could sleep for a week. Being the good Realtor I am, I came downstairs to my home office to check email and check on tomorrows schedule before heading to bed, and I had yet another email concerning the 60 Minutes piece on Realtors & real estate commissions.

Let me first start by saying that I honestly believe a big part of this problem falls on the NAR (National Association of Realtors) and the lack of advertising that promotes the benefits of using Realtors services. Good Realtors earn every dime of their commission. Unfortunately, we are also in an industry with high turn over that gives consumers legitimate cause for concern. Couple that with the part timers who have a hobby business in real estate and you can see why so many people have a low opinion of Realtors.

A bigger part of the blame falls on Realtors that don't keep up with technology. Yes, I am lucky to have come into this industry after spending almost 2 decades working for technology companies, but there is no excuse for not knowing how to cut and paste! If you can't get the digital pictures out of your camera and into the MLS, maybe this isn't the career for you (and a camera phone is NOT an acceptable means of photographing a property). Ours is a very personal business, but technology is quickly making it a tech business, not touch business. This is going to be a vastly different industry in 5 years. Realtors don't want to admit this, but the technology skills are going to be much more important as it gets more competitive.

The biggest part of the blame falls directly on consumers. How can I say that? Because the majority of people out there never interview an agent to find one that's right for them and their needs. They think we all do things the same way. It's just not true. Most people out there think that properties advertised as "For Sale By Owner" are simply trying to avoid paying a commission. I talk to these people all the time, and by far, the number one reason is that they have had such a bad experience previously with Realtors they would rather try to sell it themselves than have to deal with all the hassles of a bad agent.

Just this past Tuesday, I called on an expired property that had been off the market about a week to see if they might be interested in letting me list their property. It had been through 2 different agents previously. Both agents talked about all the wonderful updates the home had, but the first agent took just one photo from the outside. The second agent simply copied the same photo when they got the listing!!! They didn't even take the time to put a new picture in. Then, I was told by the property owner that they had re-listed the home the past Thursday, even though it still hadn't been placed into the MLS the following Tuesday. Chances are, that agent will use the same outdoor photo that two other agents already used. Did the consumer question the tactics of their agent and request changes? Probably not. They weren't even aware that their home was off the market until I brought it to their attention. So yes, consumers have some responsibility here as well.

Our industry is a dynamic thing, and as a full time agent, I look forward to these changes. If I can use technology to lower my operating costs and can pass that savings along to the consumer, I don't see that as a bad thing. I'm sure most of my fellow Realtors don't share that point of view, especially the part timers.

Thursday Morning Emails

David Emailing
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison.

Good morning!

Couldn't resist the chance to try out the Photo Booth software and my iSight camera that comes built into my MacBook. Yes, I'm a Realtor and I get up before noon each day to work, imagine that. On a typical day, we are usually up and running around 5:30 am in the Davison household. Oh, for those of you who saw the 60 Minutes story about Realtors, I have to confess, I didn't see it, but it has a lot of people fired up about it. I read the story online, but haven't had much time to think and comment about it. I think the lazy Realtors (yes, there are a lot of them) and the part-timers (again, a lot of them) are the ones most upset about this. Full timers like myself who can actually provide value for our services will have to react to changes, but I welcome change, and using technology just makes it better for those of us who know how to utilize it and can make a difference for our clients.

I have to confess, I have not had the chance to play with a lot of the iLife software that came with my Mac (too bad for me). Dana is heading to Phoenix on Monday for our Niece's high school graduation so maybe I will get in a few late night session on the machine while she is gone. I can't wait to hook my guitar into Garage Band and try it out.

Have a happy Thursday, and every day!

Mac Daddy!

Hi everyone! Wow, what a week it has been. Seems like Dana and I have 100 things all going on at the same time and get hit face first with one when we try to take a minute to rest. We are finally making some progress on our yard work and getting our poor, neglected gardens back into shape. We trimmed shrubs last night and I had to dig one out that had been killed in the last cold snap we had. It was a chore.

I have to tell you, I now understand why people LOVE their Macs! This machine has really been a pleasure to work on. I have plugged every peripheral into it that I own, and they just work, no drivers, no blue screen of death. And the help screens are great (I'm still working on how to do things differently than on a PC) and easy to understand.

Well, it's Mothers Day Week-end, so to all the moms, stepmothers, foster moms, and mothers of our four legged friends out there, I salute you! You certainly deserve more than just one day a year for all your efforts!

Mac & Windows PC Peacefully Coexisting

Mac & Windows PC Peacefully Coexisting
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison.

I can just hear all the Mac users out there gasping that I got my new MacBook so close to a Windows PC, but hey, they get along very well and play quite nicely together. I guess It's because I haven't put Vista on the PC (and have no plans to ever move to it).

So far the Mac has been pleasure to work with. I'm still getting used to how it does things vs. how I have always done them on Windows. NeoOffice is working great as is FireFox.

My New MacBook!!!

I have said again and again how much I admire Apple and their products, when it was finally time to replace my old laptop, I decided to take the plunge and get away from Windows. Vista just didn't impress me, and the security issues, don't get me started.

So here it is! A big thanks to my wife Dana for making me stick to my guns and go with the Mac. I'm glad she was there when I was deciding what machine to buy! I Love You Sweetie!

When Cartoons Were Funny

Enjoy this classic clip!

OpenOffice.org 2.2 is now available!

If you haven't checked out OpenOffice.org as an alternative to MS Office, you need to click here and see one of the best alternatives out there. Oh, and did I mention it's FREE!!! Yes, a great program that works on multiple operating systems, is compatible with MS Office so you don't have to worry about converting your previous documents, and is VERY stable. I have been using this software for close to 2 years now and love it!



One of the best things about it, besides it's MS compatibility, is it's ability to work with Google Documents. Upload and download from Google and never worry about compatibility issues. Two great products that are free. Isn't technology great?

If you don't have access to a high speed connection (The windows version is 108mb's) please feel free to contact me and I will have a copy waiting for you at the Exit Realty Partners office at 7649 North Main Street - Dayton, OH 45415.

Enjoy the rest of your week-end!

Parenting 101

Hi everyone!

I don't want to get on a soapbox here, but have you heard the voice mail message Alec Baldwin left for his 12 year old daughter (click here to listen to it, and beware, it's not for the faint of heart!)? I have a 12 year old son myself, and would never talk to him this way.

I will be honest, I don't care for the man. He's a hot head, and a marginal actor at best. This just re-enforces my opinion of him. I was a single parent for many years (until I met my wonderful wife Dana!) and I can tell you this man needs help.

Maybe if he wasn't such a jerk to his child, she would want to take his calls. If it's one thing Kyle and I do, is communicate. We laugh, we talk, and I honestly think I know what's going on in his life and how he's feeling. I have a career and pressures as well, but I make sure Kyle knows how much I love him and make time for him each and every day. Hey Alec, wake up and get yourself into some anger management classes. You SERIOUSLY need a life!

My Goofy Dogs

Quick video of our boxers - sorry, no sound.

Me with Aunt Patty & Uncle Charles

Me with Aunt Patty & Uncle Charles
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison.

What a great week-end we had! The weather was perfect.

We spent some time at my parents house on Saturday and had a nice visit with my Aunt Patty & Uncle Charles, then I went home and mowed the grass. For those of you who know me very well, you know I love to get on my tractor and mow our grass.

Spent some time working around the house today by putting up a new ceiling fan in the master bedroom, installing a pet gate in the basement, and putting up Dana's under counter Sony radio/CD player in the kitchen that Kyle got her for Christmas. When Kyle got home, we chipped some golf balls in the side yard for a while, it was fun.

It's Hump Day And...