7 UP, “The Uncola” AT&T, “Reach out and touch someone” Aflac, “Ask about it at work” Alka-Seltzer, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” Allstate Insurance, “You’re in good hands with Allstate” Apple Computer, “Think outside the box” Bic, “Flick my Bic” Bissell, “Life’s messy. Clean it up! ” Burger King, “Have it your way” Brylcreem, “A little dab’ll do ya” Read the full list at A Brand Identity >http://abrandidentity.com/?cat=5< 02/09/2009

I've been fortunate to have some real live buyers to work with. One buyer was looking for a bank foreclosure deal in Cobb County.  They narrowed it down to 3 choices.  Before we could put an offer in on their top choice, it was already under contract.  This was a $600,000 new home on a very busy street corner.  I was shocked that we got beat out on it.  But I actually was grateful because I didn't really want them to buy it.  Instead, we negotiated a great deal on their second choice.  A bank foreclosure that was listed at $710,000 and we got it for $525,000 I'm working with one nice couple looking for a home with a pool in East Cobb or Alpharetta.  They feel that while interest rates are low, it might be a good time to invest in real estate vs. the stock market.  They currently own a ... 02/04/2009

The city of Marietta, Georgia, with roots dating several decades before the Civil War, has begun a year long birthday celebration with 175 candles on the cake! Monthly events throughout the year include festivals, parties, festivals and parades.  The premiere venue for several of the events is the newly renovated Earl Smith Strand Theatre.  The celebrations will be community wide, involving government, business, cultural, educational, religious and civic groups.  Not only will the history of Marietta be showcased, but hopes for its future will be celebrated as well. If you plan to visit Marietta this year, or make it your future home, visit the city's website www.mariettaga.gov to learn more fascinating facts about Marietta, and to see the schedule of events commemorating its 175th birt... 01/20/2009

The Strand Theater, a noted landmark on the historic Marietta Square in Cobb County, opened as a motion picture house in 1935 until its closing in 1976. The premier movie was Top Hat starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. In 2004, a capital campaign was launched to raise $5,000,000 for the restoration and endowment of the theater. As of November 2008, $3,200,000 has been pledged. Click here for more information. 01/12/2009

Atlanta Real Estate - Search Marietta Homes for Sale After MULTIPLE OFFERS , I am happy to report that this charming 4 bedroom home in Marietta / East Cobb has officially SOLD for FULL PRICE! Over the last 4 or 5 years, the sellers have worked so hard remodeling their home and it really paid off.  So how did we get multiple offers?  How did we sell a home for the full asking price in this rollercoaster market?  I would have to say that that we received multiple offers and sold it for the asking price for several important reasons: The home remodel, decor and paint colors were simple and tasteful, which appealed to a wide array of potential home buyers The house had a non-traditional layout, but the sellers used colors and artwork to draw potential buyers eyes to the best parts of the ho... 01/08/2009

Atlanta Country Club - Marietta Ga. Living January 2nd, 2009 categories: Cobb County, Marietta, Neighborhood Profiles Atlanta Country Club is located on 260 acres north of Atlanta. The picturesque rolling hills of the Atlanta Country Club, located in East Cobb County, City of Marietta Georgia, are beautifully landscaped. The Chattahoochee River is nearby and historic Sope Creek meanders through the golf course. Homes for sale in the Atlanta Country Club sell for between $525,000 to over $3 million. The average price of a 4 bedroom / 4 full bathroom / 1 half bath is in the mid $900's. Atlanta Country Club Homes For Sale The Championship Golf Course was designed by Willard Byrd with modifications made by Bob Cupp, Jack Nicklaus, Mike Riley Associates and Medalist Golf, Inc. Ranked by Golf... 01/02/2009

Interested in Marietta homes for sale?  The most recent Atlanta homes sales data from FMLS* was just released Christmas week - December 20th for the entire Atlanta Metro area.  On the north side of town we had some dramatic changes in homes sold and in average sales prices for single family detached homes.  This data is going to reference sales of single family detached homes in East Cobb.  In our Atlanta MLS systems these are referred to as areas.  The areas for sales for East Cobb are: 83, 82, 81.  I've included a map I designed myself, and the corresponding sales data for each area.  The numbers are not good, and I interpreted area 83.  Each area saw a decline of over 50% in single family detached homes sold.  East Cobb Area 83 is the most sought after of the East Cobb areas, and hig... 01/01/2009

what is a video web site? this is a simple way to communicate with your clients. I know you are so busy to deal with a lot of stuffs.. That's why you need this, video web site. it can save your time and money. Before you meet your clients, send your video web site first. let them know about you. then everything goes easily.. please check this samples http://www.showinghouse.com/Blog/testing1/ need more videos? check this out http://www.mysugarmill.com thanks 12/27/2008

As rates continue to push down to under 5% it is very important to make all of our business partners and clients aware of this. Don't take for granted that all of your database is aware of this. Just yesterday I spoke with a prior client, a current client and even a ex co-worker of mine. They all had no idea that the rates were so low. When I got finished speaking with the ex co-worker of mine who was in the business and had no idea I knew it was time to physically reach out to anyone and everyone. I would encourage all to do the same. Remember if life hands you lemon, don't complain instead make lemonade to sell to those who are thirsty from complaining! 12/16/2008

  Selling a home in today's market, Part 2   Today's topics - Pricing strategies and making your home stand out Recently, I had the pleasure of doing an adult ed. home buyers class for the Marietta Community School. I have decided to take some of my outline notes and form the into a blog series for home sellers.   The class was actually a "For Sale by Owner" class. The content of this series will be more along the lines of selling by owner. However, I think there will be some good marketing ideas here that other agents might want to "borrow". If you are thinking about listing with an agent, then there will be some good guidelines here to help with your agent interviews. Most of the marketing information will work anywhere in the country. This is not my complete marketing program that I ... 12/02/2008

I think too many agents make the fatal mistake of never changing the way they do business.  They still are mailing into specific neighborhoods, they may hold open houses, and do all the routines they always did but they are going backwards in earnings.  Spending more time, and more money and making less.  That is a recipe for a disaster.  Doing the same thing, and expecting different results in the light of a really bad market is a definition of insanity.  At best this stagnation of thought will drive us totally out of the business.  No one like failure.  The good news its that those old wass of thinking and acting can be easily changed. First of all we need an intervention of sorts.  Times like this demand that we reevaluate our market, determine who is buying, and what is selling? Wha... 12/02/2008

I am happy to report that after three months on the market, my listing in Marietta, GA received THREE offers last week -- with offer #4 pending.  Of course, my sellers are absolutely thrilled.  They worked so hard remodeling their home over the last five years and were honestly the "perfect" clients.  When I shared this news with friends and family over the Thanksgiving holiday, their only response was "Multiple offers in THIS market???"   They were truly blown away.  I told them this is not an uncommon occurance and that that this the 6th time this year that I was involved in a multiple offer situation -- three times as the listing agent and three times as a buyer agent.... but I still don't think they believed me. On this particular home, I think that we received multiple offers for s... 11/30/2008

 Marietta, Georgia - One of the Best Places to Raise Your Kids!  Based on a recent study by BUSINESS WEEK magazine, Marietta was found to be #2 in the state for raising your kids. The study was based on towns/cities with at least 50,000 residents and median income of between $40,000 and $100,000. They factored in SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURES, NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, CRIME RATE, AIR QUALITY, JOB GROWTH, MUSEUMS, PARKS AND OTHER AMENITIES AND DIVERSITY. The most important factor was AFFORDABILITY, and with the economy that we are in, you may just want to consider moving here! Here is the link to the whole article: BUSINESS WEEK LINK If you have an interest in MARIETTA, and would like to know more, please contact me at 770-988-3453 or through this website. 11/24/2008

                                                                                           www.InFrontMarketing.com John Reinhardt REALTOR 770.475.1130  Ext. 6806 11/14/2008 BusinessWeek magazine in its November 10 edition named Marietta the second best place to raise children in Georgia among towns with at least 50,000 residents and an average family income between $40,000 and $100,000. How Marietta was chosen Marietta was chosen based on criteria including school performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters and other amenities, and diversity. BusinessWeek placed more weight on school performance and safety, but also gave strong weight to amenities and affordability. About BusinessWeek BusinessWee... 11/20/2008

The fastest growing company in Michigan has expanded to open 10 more stores nationwide, including 4 in the last few weeks   Marietta, GA - Rock Tops Granite, founded in 2000, fabricates and installs granite and marble countertops and fireplaces.  Originally a supplier to large home improvement stores, Rock Tops shifted its focus to the retail market in 2003.  Since the transition to direct sales, the company has seen an average increase in annual revenue of nearly 40 percent.    Rock Tops Granite headquarters is located in Macomb County, Michigan, where president, Robert "Charlie" Thiede was recently interviewed.   "I credit the company's growth to a new marketing plan and high-tech equipment," said Thiede.  "When Robert Gasiorowski joined Rock Tops as a partner in 2002, we developed a ... 11/14/2008

Homes By Steve Waldrip, Inc., was founded in 1986 with a goal of producing quality homes that satisfy every need of new home buyers. Owner Steve Waldrip graduated from the University of Georgia in 1977 with a degree in Business Administration. He spent the next eight years in the corporate world with a Fortune 500 company, working in the software department, and in sales and marketing. Then he followed in his father's footsteps and is now celebrating his 20th anniversary as owner and president of Homes By Steve Waldrip, Inc. As a Marietta native, Steve is passionate about serving the community, and also about preserving the beauty of the city of Marietta. He is an active member of the Marietta High School Booster Club. He is dedicated to supporting and encouraging both students and coa... 11/14/2008

  Making the offer Recently, I had the pleasure of doing an adult ed.  home buyers class for the Marietta Community School.  I have decided to take some of my outline notes and form the into a blog series for home buyers.  The content is geared a little more toward first time buyers but will still be very relevant for move up buyers as well.  Also, this is based on my own knowledge and experience in our local market.  All real estate is local, so if you are reading this in another part of the country then some of the ideas may not apply or at least they may apply differently. ************************************************************** Making the offer: There are some basic things that will be in every offer Price - This is the price that you are offering to pay for the home.  Legal d... 11/06/2008

An American Creed I Do Not Choose to Be a Common Man *******************************I found this posted on Dave Ramsey website today and dug around and found an audio link to him discussing this quote as well.  In my opinion this quote embodies an American Spirit that is somewhat lacking in todays culture.  I hope that all of you enjoy this as much as I did. ****** An American Creed I Do Not Choose to Be a Common Man It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.I seek opportunity—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to th... 11/02/2008

  It's a Halloween sky show. I get regular email updates from NASA about upcoming celestial events and other cool science stuff.  It's interesting stuff that is fun to share with family and friends.  Subscribe to NASA email. **** On Oct. 31st, the crescent Moon will sneak up on Venus for a close encounter of startling beauty. The gathering is best seen just after sunset when the twilight is pumpkin-orange and Halloween doorbells are chiming in earnest. Venus hovers just above the southwestern horizon, the brightest light in the sky, while the exquisitely slender Moon approaches just a few degrees below.     Okay, stop staring. There's candy to be gathered. One night later, you can give the sequel your undivided attention. On Nov. 1st, Venus and the Moon emerge from the twilight side-by-... 10/31/2008

Atlanta Real Estate - Homes for Sale in Metro Atlanta GA I just returned from the closing attorney's office and I AM SO PLEASED to say that my client and I just completed a VERY successful house trade. Here's a bit of background... I've been working with a local home builder in Marietta for the last year and due to the declining market, we were having trouble selling one of his homes at a price that would allow him to break even. As many of my fellow Active Rainers know, I do my best thinking (and blogging) at about 2 am.  It was at this late hour that I had one of those "light bulb moments" and came up with the idea of trading properties.  After proposing this to my client, he was a bit skeptical, but said that I could give it a try.  Within TWO weeks, we had a perfect candidate for a ... 10/30/2008