What a life

Holly
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison

Here's a quick snap I couldn't resist while I sit here working at my computer. A dogs love is unconditional!

Another Week-End Gone

Where the heck does the time go? Seems like I'm just going to bed on Friday night and the week-end is already gone. Just not enough hours in the day to get everything done that I want to and spend time with people I want to.

I did get a new headset/mic combo on Saturday though. Kinda dorky but I like it. Great sound and voice recording as well.

And now for something completely different - SNOW!

We survived a flooded basement and now the biggest snow storm of the year. Actually, it was kind of fun. Winston loves to play in the snow but Holly doesn't think too much of it. I had stocked up on groceries early Friday morning so we had plenty of food. Kind of a fun way to spend a week-end camped out in the living room. We watched the first 4 episodes of "Hero's" on DVD and porked out on all kinds of goodies.

Go to my FLICKR Photos to see more of our snow pictures.

Flood Update

Update on our version of Katrina, we are getting things back together and making some progress. The sump pump is working fine (all of our snow is melting and creating more water) and the battery back up has been fully charged. The electronics are drying out and I got my server to come back up this evening. All the water seems to be cleaned up and fans have dried out most everything.

Also, Holly is doing well after her surgery. She's playing with Winston a little, although she is still sleeping most of the time.

Gotta run!

FLOOD!

Yesterday was a day I NEVER want to re-live.

It started out with taking Holly to the vet for her scheduled spaying which we were not looking forward to. She is a spoiled little princess, and we knew it would be a difficult few days after her surgery. The good news is that she came through it fine, is eating a little, and mostly sleeping.

About 4:00 Dana came in the bedroom where I napping to tell me that the basement was flooded. I thought, this can't be, we have a battery back-up sump pump, must just be a trickle coming in. Well, the trickle was about 4-5 inches of water standing in the family room, my office, Danas office area, the storage room, and Kyle's train room.

The main sump pump float had gotten stuck and was not running, the battery back up alarm didn't go off like it should, and had worn itself down trying unsuccessfully to handle the large volume of water coming in. My dad came over with his shop vac to help and got the pump running again. So, it was dueling shop vacs to try and clean up the mess.

So far, we have 3 computer systems down, television, game cube, guitar amplifier, de-humidifier and various other electronic devices to see if they work once they dry out.

AARRGGHH!! At least no one was hurt and we got power turned off so we could work with the help of extension cords coming down the stairs.

If anyone else experienced problems with yesterdays flooding, I feel for you.

Dana's Violets

Dana wanted me to post these photos of her new miniature Violets that she ordered online, and I always do what she asks me to do. Click on any photo to enlarge.

No Blogging in January is over!

After my self imposed exile from blogging and most online activities for the month of January I'm glad to be back. I wanted to focus on some things that needed to be done around the house as well as in my career. All I can say is that it's good to be back!

One thing that I did do was finally sign up as a user on Whole Wheat Radio last week. WholeWheatRadio.org is an internet only station run out of Talkeenta, Alaska by former Buckey Jim Kloss and Esther Golton. I have been checking it out for the past few months, and I have to tell you, it's easy to get sucked in and spend entirely too much time on the site. It's not just an internet radio station, it's an entire community of people that I have come to make friends with while listening to some great music. The site is a WIKI and quite user friendly once you join. I especially enjoy the hundreds of photos they have posted. Go there and check it out. I'm Buckwheat in the Wheathead community if you see me in a chat room and want to say hello. (check out photos of Jim & the Wheat Palace in Talkeenta)

My social networking site for real estate professionals, RealtorTech, has turned out to be one giant goose egg. No one is using it, most of the invites to join went unanswered, so I'm shutting it down this week-end to focus on something different, although I have no idea what at this point. I can say that I am convinced there is no way to drag Realtors in this market into the 21st Century and away from their fax machines to explore some really cool technologies that will make their lives and businesses easier to manage. Too sad, but I'm not one to continually beat my head against a wall.

Enough for now. I'll post some photos soon here and my FLICKR site soon.

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!!!!