My grandfather worked hard his entire life. Born in 1915, he lived through the Great Depression and World War II. As a child in rural East Texas (like there's any other kind of East Texas) he picked cotton to survive. After the war he snagged a "cushy" job at a paper mill where he worked until retirement. There is not enough free space online for me to share all the lessons I learned from this man. So I will focus on his approach to money management. 1) Purchases-- ALL purchases need to be made with cash. There were no exceptions to this rule. 2)If you can't afford a home, build one yourself-- That's right, grandpa built his home before and after work. It stood for over 40 years. 3) Generosity-- Money is a tool for helping folks, not rubbing it their face. 4) Savings-- Have enough money... 05/04/2010

I have a thing for comfortable shirts. There is nothing like going to the closet and pulling out "that comfortable shirt". My favorite shirt in the whole world is causing a bit of a stir at the office and on the homefront.  The garment in question is a navy blue Natica golf shirt. One day while showing some foreclosures said shirt got caught on a rusty nail. And while the lockjaw has improved, the encounter did leave a small hole on the sleeve. As luck would have it, I put two homes under contract that day. So naturally it would be mocking the real estate gods to patch the sleeve. Truth be told, I think my clients like the shirt. Nothing says hardworking like a man in tattered apparel. My broker says I look like a bum. I replied, "do you know any bums who sold five homes in January"? Th... 05/03/2010

  Ever get a file you can't open because you don't have the right program?  How about receiving a read-only file that you need to edit?  One of the most annoying computer problems I have is trying to convert a file, downloading several programs, and still not having it work correctly. Zamzar.com is my go to file converter.  It is also one of my favorite online tools and that is why they are my pick of the week! 05/03/2010

Let's just say customer service in my area is typically lacking. Walk into a restaurant and you will be waited on, just as soon as the waiter is done texting. Retail sales are even worse. I gave up a LONG time ago expecting workers to have product knowledge. That horse was put out of his misery wayy back in the day. But would it hurt the worker to smile when a customer walks in the door? How about a quick offer for assistance? Nope, Mr /Mrs Customer can find their own socks, thank you very much.  Ready to checkout? Hope you have something good to read as there is only one register open (granted this is rarely the worker's fault). Then something wonderful happened. My Jeep broke window regulator number ELEVEN. That's right, my 2006 liberty has been through ELEVEN window regulators. Don't... 04/28/2010

One must be a master of either laughing or crying to succeed in real estate. Due to the high stress involved, not to mention the lack of a steady check, we need an emotional release. In this blog I will examine how some comedians would fare as Realtors. 1) Rodney Dangerfield--I tell you I get no respect as an agent. My last client hated me so much that he charged ME  six percent at closing. 2) Jeff Foxworthy--If your brokerage signs are painted like Tony Stewart's car, you might be a redneck Realtor. If there is a deer mounted in your office, you might be a red neck Realtor. If your firm has an outhouse, you might be a redneck Realtor. 3) George Carlin--Lady I ain't got all day to look at these freak-en houses. Have I told you my take on the Ten Commandments?--Probably not too successfu... 04/27/2010

I always dread showing homes in this community. While nostalgia is great for cars and perhaps old girlfriends, I have grown accustom to modern real estate. Here is some of the "fun" I encountered 1)Old/non-existent Internet presences-- I fondly remember my first webpage. Geocities rocked! Of course that was 1998...One of the local firms had a GEOCITIES WEBSITE!!!! Actually it was a knockoff... The other two companies had NO webpage 2) Marketing--Without the web, or even contact numbers, I had to purchase a copy of the local paper and circle ads. Reminded me of going "Garage Sailing" with my grandmother back in the 1970's. 3) Access--Naturally, none of the companies had keyboxes. This is understandable, Who wants to invest ten dollars in combo lockboxes? Not in this economy. At the secon... 04/25/2010

After a long winter (even here in Central Louisiana), people are starting to venture outdoors. With more hours of sunlight, odds are you are doing more evening showings. Combine more kiddos outside and more Realtors on the streets can lead to disaster. It only takes one second of inattention for disaster to strike. First things first, SLOW DOWN!! As a runner, I often have to deal with folks driving 50mph in a subdivision. I shudder to think what would happen if a kid darted into the street. But We all know the answer. Would you like to face the parents? I will text at the office, at the mall, and one time I texted from the toilet. But I will never text from behind the wheel again. No, I didn't see some special on 20/20, let's just say I had a close call. The less I think about that the ... 04/24/2010

Once an offer is accepted most sellers breath a sign of relief. After sometimes months of marketing, their wait is over! Or is it?? When my sellers sign that buy/sell agreement I let them hug, cry, scream, etc... then we have "the talk".  Let's look at what can go wrong between signing that contract and closing. 1) The Home Inspection--Sooo mr seller, did you know air conditions are supposed to blow COLD air?? That's probably going to need fixing. A listing of mine that went under contract last week needs a new roof due to a recent hail storm. Let this list get too long, and expect the buyers to bail. Even if you offer to fix everything. 2) Loan Preapproval-I LOVE 1-800 numbers! Who doesn't like saving money on long distance calls?? But get nervous if your folks are preapproved with som... 04/21/2010

Nothing beats the settlement table. After all the hard work, back and forth, and sometimes tears closing should be a time of joy for Realtors. While many agents say they do real estate to "help people" most have a keen interest in that check that follows!. Here are some Realtor misbehaviors I have observed at closing. Please feel free to add to the list... 1)The Disappearing Agent-- Please attend closing. During orientation my broker informed me that I must attend all closings. Well Duh!! To me this is common sense. But at a closing this week...You guessed it, other agent no showed. And his client was none too happy. Wonder who he will call next time? 2) The Texting Tom-Nothing is more disrespectful than texting while your clients are literally signing away their home. Or taking on 30 y... 04/20/2010

We moved into our new home a little over a year ago. Like alot of families, as we were moving in we placed the boxes of items we rarely use in the garage 'temporarly'! Well, time went by, inside we were getting everything set up - then decided to do add-on a 320' sunroom and build an additional garage/workshop. Well needless to say, we never did clean out the garage. Which also means during the 14 months that we've lived here we have NEVER parked in our garage. I know unbelievable right? A couple of weeks ago we marked our calendars for this week-end to be "Spring Cleaning" time for our garage. I can tell you that we have way too much 'stuff'. We made two trips to our local Goodwill and put out a trailer full of items not worthy of Goodwill. Once we put those items out on the street, w... 04/17/2010

In Louisiana you may sell a property "AS IS WHERE IS WITH WAIVER OF REDHIBITION"- I'm not sure (since Louisiana is pretty unique in it's law) that other states have redhibition. If a defect is discovered after the closing whether the Seller was aware of it or not, he is liable. This liability extends to the point that it can no longer be proven that the defect existed when the Purchaser closed. When you buy 'AS IS WITH WAIVER OF REDHIBITION" you are waiving your right to go back against the Seller. The exception to this would be if you could prove that the Seller was aware of the defect and did not disclose it. That would be considered fraud and the Buyer then would have 10 years to go back against the previous owner. An example of this would be, you discover a leak in the roof after cl... 04/13/2010

I was watching the Today Show this morning and they were discussing the use of coupons at grocery stores. Personally I've never been a big fan of keeping up with coupons to bring to the store. Probably goes under my lack of organization skills. However, they did speak about something that grabbed my attention! They said that Target (one of my favorite stores) and a couple of other large national chains were going to start using digital coupons. Now if you knew me you would know I love gadgets and electronics. This is right up my alley! They will email you coupons and all you do is open up the file and show it to the clerk and they can scan it and bang you have your discount! Gotta love it! A couple of weeks ago I actually had a situation similar to this. I was at Express buying my son a... 04/12/2010

So you think you are ready to take the leap into home ownership, but, don't know where to begin. The first step is always to get pre-approved for a mortgage. That way you will know what you are qualified for in terms of price. You may not want to spend as much as you are qualified to spend. Just let your agent know how much you feel comfortable with per month and they can back into an amount for you based on this information. This is the very important first step to Home Ownership. Nothing is worse than falling in love with a house only to realize it's not in your price range. From that moment on every house you visit that is in your price range will fall short on your list. Get pre-approved, know your limits and stay within your price range and you won't be disappointed! If there is a ... 04/12/2010

NEW HOME WARRANTY ACT FOR THE STATE OF LOUISIANA If you are purchasing a new construction in the State of Louisiana - make sure you have the builder sign a New Home Warranty Act before or at the closing. This will give you some peace of mind for the first five years of the home. Of course the ‘warranty' is only good as long as the builder is still around and living. It basically states that the builder will stand behind any structural issues with the home for the first five years.  Here is a link where you can view the New Home Warranty Act for Louisiana: www.lslbc.louisiana.gov/pdf_files/NewHomeWarrantyAct.pdf Builders are also liable within that period in different time increments for other items with the house. It states that they are liable for any defects for the first year period... 04/12/2010

Nothing like negotiating a deal only to have it die a flaming death during the home inspection! With all the emotion tied up in the purchase process sometimes even minor things can send a buyer packing. Keep in mind stuff breaking is new ground for first time buyers. In most rental situations, tenants merely call the landlord win something is broke. As a result, such property virgins rarely know how to make even basic repairs. As agents we need to be the calm voice during this time. Before the inspection I prep the buyers. 1) We made an offer on the house based on its age/condition. The purpose of the inspection is to     uncover unseen defects. Thus, we offered "X" knowing the ac unit is 20 yrs old. 2) Inspectors are the bird dogs of the industry. They point out POTENTIAL problems and ... 04/09/2010

  My husband and I are those techy kind of people. We always go and buy the newest and latest gadget on the market. When the I-phone was first released we were in the group of people that waited in line to be one of the first to buy the new I-phone! Even when the price dropped, I never regreted it. I simply love my I-phone; it makes my life easier everyday in my real estate and personal life. Now release the I-pad. It is a scaled back laptop, with the convenience of wi-fi and 3G capabilities. It will make it easier to check mail and update my websites and blogs each night while relaxing at home. I know I want to wait until after the release of the 3-G enabled, but how long should I wait. Surely the price will drop within a couple of months don't you think? Right now the prices are as fo... 04/09/2010

I have noticed a disturbing trend among first time buyers. Once preapproved, clients want to look at homes near their financial ceiling. Why would people do this? Do you like being broke half the month? Clients will often agree to cut other parts of their budget. While this is a noble effort, give it a trial run for a week. What's it going to be like NEVER eating at your favorite restaurant? Will you be able to turn down drinks after work on Fridays? Can you handle fishing from the bank?? While home ownership is important, it is not everything. Leave a little wiggle room in the budget. This way the house is more of a blessing than a curse! 04/07/2010

Wouldn't it be great if the sales process worked like House Hunters? We show our buyers three nice homes, and they pick one twenty-two minutes later. After writing a reasonable offer, the two sides quickly meet and close the deal. At the end of the day,  the Realtor attends a BBQ at the client's new home. But it's not all unicorns and leprechauns. I do eat BBQ pretty often. That's my comfort food of choice when things get "interesting" in real estate world. 04/06/2010

Our real estate market in Central Louisiana is still very good. I am still selling houses every week in all different price ranges. I believe it is very important with all the changes in financing to price your home correctly from the get go. This is true more than ever. If you have any questions about the market in Central Louisiana, or real estate in general, just post it here and I will be happy to answer. I have been in real estate over 17 years and am always happy to give my opinion! Thanks and happy selling, Paige 06/11/2008

Pineville, Louisiana, is located in central Louisiana across the Red River from Alexandria.  It is in the center of the state.  If you are considering a move to central Louisiana, definitely take a look at Pineville. Pineville has several new subdivisions--Beau Chene, Ocho Rios, and Shadow Creek to name a few.  It also has one of the largest recreational complexes in the area with a field especially designed for people with disabilities.  This year it attracted some state youth baseball events.  Louisiana College, a private Baptist liberal arts college, is located in the heart of the city.   (As part of the Twelve Nights of Christmas, Louisiana College hosted Handel's Messiah and a reading of the Christmas story by Barbara Bush.)  A new conference center has just been completed. Pinevil... 11/21/2007