The C Team

Archive for the ‘Musings and Thoughts’ Category

Here it is Monday afternoon, and I just wanted to tell our friends in the Midwest and East that I hope that you’re able to get dug out safely.  I also hope that you get a break from all of the snow that you have been receiving! I am not a huge fan of snow, but I will admit that it does make for some real cool photos.  This photo I took this morning from in front of our office looking East towards the red hill.

This second one is to give it a little perspective from Town.  

I have been trying to think of something to write about for nearly an hour.  I have been through my pages of inspirational quotes that I keep and add to periodically for something, yet couldn’t find anything good for today.  This is about as close as I get to writer’s block, usually my lack of blogs can be attributed much more to laziness than any other thing.  However, I came across something that struck me as appropriate in my Franklin Planner. 

It is from Horace Walpole an 18th Century English historian and Noble, most famously known for his house Strawberry Hill that he built in Twickenham, South-West of London:

“To act with common sense, according to the moment, is the best wisdom; and the best philosophy is to do one’s duties, to take the world as it comes, submit respectfully to one’s lot and bless the goodness that has given us so much happiness with it, whatever it is.”

The only part that I disagree with is that we should accept our lot, as it is up to us to determine what our lot in life is.  That and in today’s world, I fear that for many, if not most, people common sense is just too much to ask!

It was a great Friday even if it began by shoveling 5 to 6 inches of snow off the driveway.  Darcy and I took some clients out to see homes.  They are a young couple and first time home buyers, it is fun to watch first time buyers, there is so much that they are looking at.  This couple really are going about it the right way, they have in mind what they want what they need and what they are willing to spend.  All of which make our job much easier.  

The really fun thing about showing homes to first time buyers right now is that there are some really great deals in their price range.  It is a lot of fun when you can find what meets their wants and needs in a variety of homes. There isn’t the variety there was a year ago, but there are still many options.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE this job!!!!!!!Some days are just so rewarding!!!Have a great weekend!

I know that many people believe in the paranormal, I am not going to blog about that.  I am blogging about using a ghost writer to write your blogs.  What do you think of that practice?  I know a couple of agents that employ a ghost writer on their blogs simply because they are too busy to sit down and write a blog.  They may feel uncomfortable putting their own thoughts and ideas into the public, or for whatever reason they use another person to write their blogs.

What do you “Rainers” think about this?  I personally find it cathartic to write my own blogs.  I know that my ignorance shows through, but that is who I am.  By writing my own blogs, I learn more about the topic that I choose to expound upon.  

It doesn’t bother me that some agents choose to have someone else write their blogs.  I do think that each agent has to do what is best for him or her.  On our team, I, Tony does most of the writing, that is what works for us.  I often consult with Darcy about what topic I should write about or if I am technically correct in my opinions, like I said, our system works for us.  There are other teams where members of the team take turns writing blogs, and that is alright as well.

Anyway, I was just sitting here wondering what you think of using a ghost writer, please let us know!  Have a great Week!

I know that I have as have many others said that attitude is paramount to success in life not just Real Estate.  So I have done my variation on the glass half full question.  Is it mostly Sunny? or is it mostly Cloudy?  It is you’re choice!

Your answer will determine your level of success! 

Make it a great weekend!

How many of us find ourselves in moments of silence or when things are really hectic dreaming of a day when we will be able to retire and just go fishing?  I know that I do, I often think to myself, it will sure be nice when the house is paid off and we have no bills to work at my own leisure.  I don’t know how wrong this is, I do believe that in these moments we think of our dreams and make goals to achieve them.  

I came across a quote by Charles C Colton, a 19th Century English writer:

“Men spend their lives in anticipation, in determining to be vastly happy at some period when they have time. But the present time has one advantage over every other-it is our own.  Past opportunities are gone, future have not come.”

This is the key to all of this is that we not put away the present in dreams.  I do believe that we need to dream, just not at the expense of accomplishing what we need to accomplish today.  Dreams are what elevate us, they give us hope and inspiration, but we need to remember to accomplish today those things that will help bring our dreams to pass.  

As the first full week of the new year draws to a close, how many of our resolutions or goals have also been closed out?  If most of you are like me if you haven’t given them up yet they’re dangling by a thread.  What makes us give these things up so quickly.  I know that some of you are able to keep them for the entire year.  Some of you are even better than that, and you are able to turn them into habits that you keep for the rest of your life.

I will admit that I don’t have a great track record of turning resolutions into habits, it has happened, just not all that often.  I know that many of my resolutions in my past had no chance of working, there was just too little committment to them.  What do we need to do in order to keep our resolutions and goals and turn them into (hopefully) productive traits or habits?  I came across a quote by Thomas Edison that explains the process better than I can.

“The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary.”

That really is all that there is to it.  Grab hold of them and work at them with all of our physical and mental energies.  This comes from a  man that had several thousand failures before he developed a light bulb that worked.  Anyway this is just some thoughts that I hope will help you and me to make and keep our goals and resolutions.

Darcy and I are taking a few days away from home.  Tomorrow is our Anniversary, so we are going to Las Vegas. We are just going to enjoy ourselves, don’t have a lot of things planned.  One thing that we will enjoy is that great sun that Las Vegas enjoys this time of year.  I don’t know that we even plan to go to a casino, rather just play tourist seeing some of the other parts of Las Vegas.  

We lived there 10 years ago, but it has grown and changed so much that it is a much different place than it was then.  So if we’re not here for a couple of days, don’t worry, we will be back!

It honestly seems like yesterday that I began blogging and commenting on blogs here at Active Rain.  I know that I have learned far more than I have taught, but it has been a lot of fun being a member of this community.  I still have so much more to learn, and I do enjoy the great collection of knowledge and experience that is contained here at Active Rain.

This post puts Darcy and I over the 300,000 point mark, and while I know that points are just a way to keep people involved, it does mean something to us that we have been involved and feel such a kinship with so many here.  I have not met a lot of you, my friends, face to face, but I still think of you as my friends.  I look forward the incredible photographs that so many of you take and share with us almost as much as I enjoy the wisdom of the blogs.

So I again say thank you for your wisdom, for sharing your talents with us, thank you for putting up with us, and most of all thank you for being our friends!

I am working at the office this morning, which isn’t all bad.  It is good to check in on Monday to see how things are going.  Darcy is at an MLS meeting for our local board of Realtors, so I drove in alone. Pulling into the driveway I noticed that the business next door was putting up their Christmas lights, I was watching traffic so I didn’t notice that the windows of our office have also been painted with a Christmas theme.

I don’t remember having Thanksgiving, I watched some football yesterday, but I don’t remember eating large quantities of turkey, stuffing and the rest!  I know that this is tongue in cheek, but it does seem that we begin our preparations earlier every year!  I shouldn’t be surprised, the Walmart had a Christmas section about the time that Labor Day was past.  

For retailers I realize that this is their “black” period.  This is when they make their money, it just seems that we are wishing our time to pass more quickly by! I liked it when the Christmas lights went up after Thanksgiving!  We seemed to be more relaxed then, maybe it was just because I was a lot younger and everything seemed more casual to me.  

Just a reminder to buyers, even with the Holidays, it is still a great time to buy!  Inventory is high, and competition seems to lesson until after the first of the year.  These are just a couple of reasons that it is a great time to buy, there is still time to be into your home before the Holidays but only if you hurry!  Anyway, it isn’t a time to think that you shouldn’t be looking to buy Real Estate, rather it is a time to make a good deal!