Boomtown. It is a system that our company uses to increase leads of buyers for our agents that participate in the Boomtown program.  I think that this is done on a rotating basis and the agent has a few Minutes to respond, and  if they do not  respond in a certain time.. the rotation  goes to the next agent.   I have chosen not to be a part of this Boomtown program because  I am better working with sellers and that is my area of expertise.  I have always been told that LISTINGS ARE THE NAME OF THE GAME and I do believe that.  He who controls the listings, controls the market..   *********************************** Is there a Boomtown like product  that seeks to work with sellers and get the sellers to particlpate in a  similar program.. Anyone out here that can come up with a program th... 11/02/2012

        This seems like it is going to be so much fun.  I am  starting out so enthusiastically and I will make that enthusiasm  last for 30 days.. This is going to give me a boost for November and I am so looking forward to it.   Last night was Halloween and I had such a great time with the Grandchildren.  After I got home from a long, busy day at work... I rushed in to get the house ready for the grandchildren to come and do their Trick or Treating...   The first thing that I did was to light all of the pumpkins and arrange them on the front porch.  Then I put the Ghost on the Front porch Door.  Next, I got the take record and recorded screams,clanging of pots and pans.. Then I played spooky music on the piano and screamed a lot...Helps and I'm going to get you and other favorite phra... 11/01/2012

    The Brunswick Arts Council invites you to the Charles Dickens Christmas Festival in honor of Charles Dickens 200th Birthday. Come one ~ Come All ~ To See the Streets of Southport metamorphose into a Dickensian atmosphere.   The CHARLES DICKENS CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL event will take place on Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1, 2012, in the city of Southport, NC. Imagine a time and place evoking images of Charles Dickens’ famous tale, “A Christmas Carol”, one of candle-lit Christmas trees, frosty nights and fireplaces, wassailing, mistletoe and holly, and brightly decorated shop windows in colors of the season.    Come celebrate a traditional  old English Victorian Christmas with dramatic performances of “What the Dickens” and “The First Noelle”, music by band and choir concerts... 11/01/2012

We live along the North Carolina Coast at the Mouth of the Cape Fear River makes us vunerable to hurricanes during the season.  Sandy gave us 2 inches of rain and wind gusts up to 45 MPH.  No flooding.  Sandy  is the first one to affect us in a while. For that, I am very thankful. We have seen our share of the bad ones too...Remember Hazel, Floyd, Bertha, Charlie, Ivan..to just recall a few...   We have been very lucky and I hope that God continues to look over us. Hope that you are safe and warm... Ginger of Southport NC   http://www.GingerHarper.com gingerharper@seacoastrealty.com 10/29/2012

This is beautiful. How special it is. Enjoy.     This is so neat. This is beautiful - and it is surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives.1. Your thumb is nearest you.. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.' 2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. The... 10/27/2012

Thursday...Over Hump Day!  Today is another great day. Started out with a clear, sunshiny morning drinking coffee with hubby then off to work. Yesterday, a potential seller called me to come back  to list her property.  So I put a listing into the computer and emailed it out to all of the agents in the area so that would have the first hand information of the property.   I think it is important to get the newest listings into the hands of the top producers early in the morning. Never know when that buyer will come through the door..and what you sent to them is exactly what they need.     This may be the one.. Hope that you have had a successful selling day too.. Ginger of Southport     Ginger Harper http://www.GingerHarper.com gingerharper@seacoastrealty.com 10/24/2012

  "Safe Haven", the Nichols Sparks Movie, filmed in Southport NC.  Take a look at the Movie Trailers...It will give you some indication of the movie and the actions.  Such a fun time when they were filming in Southport, North Carolina. The movie will come out in February 2012.  I do hope that you will get the opportunity to see it.  Many of my friends and neighbors will be participating.  I may be in a few scenes myself..   Safe Haven Official Trailer     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj6i_Z1Srsw   Hope you are having a great week.    Take care,   Ginger         10/24/2012

WE had such a fun time with the movie industry that we experienced this summer in Southport, North Carolina.    After the 4th of July and things calmed down,  the Movie wanted to film the Downtown area of Southport with a Parade with the floats and Marching bands to go along with it.   Below are a couple of pictures of Josh Duhmel and Julianne Hough while they were on the Movie set.     GO TIME!! Watch the Safe Haven Movie premiere & LIVE CHAT with me, Julianne Hough & Nicholas Sparks RIGHT NOW! Watch & Chat here: https://www.facebook.com/safehavenmovie/app_156218351098324   I hope that you all get a chance to see this movie.  I do think that it is going to be fun. YOU will  get to see some of the great sites around Southport.   Would love for you to come and see Southport for yourself... 10/23/2012

I live in the sleepy coastal community of Southport NC and Love every minute of it.  This Summer, starting after the 4th of July. Nicholas Sparks came to town with his Actor, Josh Duhamel and Julieanne Hough and turned the town upside down with excitement. The filming was fun to watch and participate in.  They built the  little store below below and it will be featured in the Movie "SAFE HAVEN" in February 2012.  The building was completely destoryed when the Movie left town.                          Such a fun time and you will see this Door way in the movie.  (Don't YOU just love the Grandchildren!)   Ginger of Southport   10/22/2012

  WE are marketing about SEVEN housing developments right now. I was recenly reading a blog from a gentleman, whose company policy is not to pay fees to an agent that is too lazy to drive the buyer over to the development and show them around the community. Our company does just the opposite.  WE do just the opposite.  We tell every realtor, to just send your client to us with your card and we will show them the community, draw up the contract, arrange for the financing and send you a check when it closes. I thnk that there should be some relief for the on-site Duty Agent.   I suppose that the duty agent knew that was part of the deal.  They could be on salary or commission themselves. Certainly they would try to put the deal together if they were on commission also or on a Bonus compe... 10/22/2012

We seem to be paying the price for Katrina and for inland Flooding.  If you are opposed to higher Insurance premiums...send the email today..   Today is the last day to send in comments to the Department of Insurance in opposition to the 30% rate increase!     We in North Carolina, especially those of us on the coast, should not have to pay for Katrina OR for inland flooding !       Email to: homeowners2012@ncdoi.gov.   Help me to get the word out to folks in North Carolina.   Thanks,   Ginger Harper of Southport 10/19/2012

I Love Active Rain and enjoy all that I am reading and learning from other folks.  I am stilll trying to be successful with AR and try new things a lot. It seems to be true that more experienced Active Rainer have  featured posts.    I still do not know that the measuring stick is for acquiring a featured post.. it is from the content of the post, or the number of hits or what? Maybe taking a Active Rain Class at the unversity would help...   Do you think so??   Ginger Harper http://www.GingerHarper.com gingerharper@seacoastrealty.com 10/18/2012

Well...no one told us it would be easy. Again, I find this out. WE have been working on a short sale since February and have just found out that the property does not appraise for the short sale price...Yep...that is right. The Bank will not accept the amount of the appraised value so our deal is dead. What do you think is going to happen when I get another offer for the appraised value not?....I know..by the time the bank gets around to accepting the offer...the property will not appraise again. Price are still going down. The dilemma.   Ginger With warm regards,   Ginger Harper http://www.GingerHarper. 10/15/2012

Opinions, Comments and Fun Stuff in the Rain .....Have you ever stopped to think how many people you know by reading their blogs in Active Rain?  Commenting, Reading and Sharing your opinions ....How about what you have learned?  Shared?  The relationships you have made?  The fun you have had?  Joking around, being serious..Thanks Active Rain for providing a site to meet people, grow and learn, share and enjoy life  ....  Isn't Life Grand 10/11/2012

  Today was my husbands Birthday and we have had a marvelous day with the family. Church first thing, (I told the Minister that it was Jimmy's Birthday) and he made a big deal of it.   Then home for the Sunday Dinner that I had prepared before going to church. Menu:   Roasted Pork Ribs Beef Roast Corn Peas Butterbeans Rice Buttered Potatoes Gravy EggPlant and Onions Sweet Tea and of course Birthday Cake that had blue icing..(turned our tongues and teeth blue)   Just a very wonderful Family day with 12 folks at the table.   Then tonight, canning the tomatoes. (In a thunder and lightning storm) We did put up 11 Quarts. They will be used in Spagetti Sauce and Soups through the Winter.   Hope you had a great day also.   Ginger of Southport..   10/08/2012

Today was my husbands Birthday and we have had a marvelous day with the family. Church first thing, (I told the Minister that it was Jimmy's Birthday) and he made a big deal of it.   Then home for the  Sunday Dinner that I had prepared before going to church. Menu:   Roasted Pork Ribs Beef Roast Corn Peas Butterbeans Rice Buttered Potatoes Gravy EggPlant and Onions Sweet Tea and of course Birthday Cake that had blue icing..(turned our tongues and teeth blue)   Just a very wonderful Family day with 12 folks at the table.   Then tonight, canning the tomatoes. (In a thunder and lightning storm)   We did put up 11 Quarts.  They will be used in Spagetti Sauce and Soups through the Winter.   Hope you had a great day also.   Ginger of Southport..   10/07/2012

      Ginger HarperColdwell Banker Sea Coast RealtyDirect: 9107981079Toll Free: 8003467671Cell: 9104706713 Email me at:gingerharper@seacoastrealty.comVisit my website at:Http://www.GingerHarper   10/02/2012

  Ginger HarperColdwell Banker Sea Coast RealtyDirect: 9107981079Toll Free: 8003467671Cell: 9104706713 Email me at:gingerharper@seacoastrealty.comVisit my website at:Http://www.GingerHarper.com   10/02/2012

Re-blogged by 0 agents How do you insert a picture into the body of your blog.  I had a wonderful experience with the Grandchildren digging sweet potatoes this past Sunday and it was so good that I just wanted to share it with my Active Rain friends.  They got dirty and sweaty but had a glorious time tugging at the vines and bringing up large beautiful sweet potatoes.   These sweet potatoes we will serve to the family that comes to be with us at Thankgiving.  There will be about 25 of us and each of the precious littles ones can tell of their experience of digging the sweet potatoes.   Help if you can  to learn how to insert photos..   Have a great day.   Ginger of Southport 10/01/2012

How does one become a Freddie Mac or a Fannie Mae listing agent?  Any Suggestions? Re-blogged by 0 agents   I have been going through websites and signing up to do BPO and REO. It seems like I may get one a week. But I need to list properties in the area that are being sold by Freddie or Fannie. I do not know where to get in touch with them to sign up.  I know that many successful agents have been able to connect in with a Bank or Lender and I just want to know how to do it also. Do you know? and if you do...will you please point me in the right direction?   All help needed to begin this process.   Take care, Ginger Harper Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty~Southport NC 09/21/2012