The Dallas Real Estate Blog

I’m going to level with you, Constant Reader. I know I said I was going to win Idol, but I never quite got around to auditioning. I had my bags packed, but then the reality of the thing hit me: months of tireless work, tray after tray of cut-rate green-room wieners (I used to say I never met a wiener I didn’t like, but I think they’re making the cheapies out of Elmer’s Glue and Hot Pockets factory seconds these days), and no Judy-toes to lick.

Besides – good as I am – I’d never have had a chance against Lakisha Jones.

She’s going to win the whole thing. Everybody knows it. Even Paula knows it, when she’s not busy trying to act all tough like the other two. But I’m trying to salvage what I can by picking out her distant second.

That’s Chris Sligh. Not that he’s any great shakes. It’s just that he doesn’t make me yawn as much as the other guys.

Don’t get me wrong: Sligh sings pretty well. And, unfortunately, singing pretty well and being just a teeny bit interesting is all it’s going to take to shut out the other male contestants. It’s like a bowl of brown M&Ms –they’re all brown, but one is shaped kind of funny, so you pick that one to pop in your mouth when Judy’s not looking.

Sligh will trounce the guys. If he can keep his mouth shut.

I don’t know what that Teletubbies/Il Divo thing was all about, but Simon made a point of telling everyone he was saved by a woman on the very next episode. Make your own judgment. In Chris’s mind, he was probably being quite witty. Most everybody else thought he was just being a snotty kid. Wisely, and probably prompted by his wife, he smiled and said the equivalent of Thank you, Sir. May I have another? during his next confrontation with Simon.

So that’s it: Lakisha takes the cake, Sligh gets to lick the beaters, and everybody else goes home with a growling stomach.

Am I wrong?

The number one medium in today’s world is video. From TV to the internet to cellphones, video is well neigh omnipresent in lives. Still photo flyers photocopied onto a text document have gone the way of the dodo. With an ever decreasing population of technophobes real estate agents are turning to the latest and greatest gadgets available to distribute videos to their clients. Two of the most ubiquitous methods of video distribution are the well documented YouTube and iTunes Podcasts. With a little effort your agent can turn photos or video into a short video that can be easily accessed and distributed for anyone with a reasonably fast internet connection. They’re convenient and expedient because they’re so interchangeable — the software required to view the movies is free, easy to obtain, and already on most computers.

Don’t simply dismiss old standards — well designed “graphics” on paper are still a clear and effective method for reaching potential buyers — but make sure to ask your listing agent how they plan to incorporate video into their marketing strategy.

To see easy video solutions you can click here or here.

Tomorrow is my day to catch up on a little paperwork, so Chester will be taking over. Hope everyone enjoys his sense of humor.

The difference between a true real estate agent and someone who happens to sell homes for a living is more than few tests, accreditation, and legal authority. Plenty of people have become an accredited agent without becoming an effective agent. Only two things separate an effective agent assisted transaction from Joe Slob real estate agent- contracts and marketing. Assisting clients through the oft-times tedious process of legally transferring property ownership is a major benefit of using a keen agent with an eye for detail. Selling (or buying) what is likely you single most expensive asset can be very stressful. But because “it’s the economy, stupid,” the biggest differences between being an effective agent and being just another person with business card isn’t the ability to ease clients through the anxiety over signing their name a few times so the agents involved can cash their commission checks. It’s really about marketing your home the right way so that potential buyers will see the latent potential in making your former dream home into their future dream so that you can get the best value possible.

Later this week we’ll discuss the various ways an agent should be marketing your home, but first, here’s a small teaser. (Hint: Pictures are worth more than just words.)