Pearland Real Estate Expert

MARCH-2010 Newsletter by Danny Frank

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:08:39 -0600

Welcome to the most current Housing Trends eNewsletter. This eNewsletter is specially designed for you, with national and local housing information that you may find useful whether you’re in the market for a home, thinking about selling your home, or just interested in homeowner issues in general.

Please click on this link to view the MARCH-2010 Newsletter Housing Trends eNewsletter:
http://budurl.com/NewsLetterMar10

The Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau, Realtor.org reports and other sources.

It also includes press releases with charts and videos, key market indicators and real estate sales and price statistics, a video message by a nationally recognized economist, maps, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, plus local neighborhood information and more.

If you are interested in determining the value of your home, click the “Home Evaluator” link for a free evaluation report:
http://danfrank.housingtrendsenewsletter.com/dispContent.cfm?loadid=2&loadtype=0

Sound decisions can only be made with accurate and reliable information, and I am happy to be a trusted resource for you. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with this monthly eNewsletter, and I look forward to answering any questions you may have and to the opportunity to be your REALTOR® in the future.

Sincerely yours,

Danny Frank
Keller Williams Realty Pearland
2734 Sunrise Blvd., Suite 208 Pearland TX 77584
713-581-4702
danfrank@kw.com

AMERICAN DREAM RESOLUTION 2010

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:04:49 -0600

AMERICAN DREAM RESOLUTION

WHEREAS the United States was built on the foundation that private property rights are a sacred cornerstone to democracy; and

WHEREAS, Texas was founded on the principle of protecting private property and it is important to preserve these rights and maintain constitutional protections against regulation and seizure of a homestead; and

WHEREAS, any new tax system designed to address a state budget deficit should not increase the heavy burden property owners in Texas now bear; and

WHEREAS, any reduction in school property taxes shall not be offset by newly created property taxes related to a real estate transaction; and

WHEREAS, any new property tax related to a real estate transaction would create even more barriers to homeownership; and

WHEREAS, it shall be a goal of this State to increase the percentage of Texas homeowners which currently ranks a dismal 45th in the nation; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the __________________ Party takes a stand for Texas property owners and repudiates any creation of a real estate transaction tax and supports paving the way for more Texans to attain the American Dream of homeownership.

Pearland TX: 10202 Lamb Brook Lane - Open House Only $223,900

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:54:27 -0600

Please come and visit my open house. It is in Pearland TX at 10202 Lamb Brook Lane and is just a great house. The open house wil be Sunday, Feberuary 28, 2010 from 2PM through 5PM

For the discriminating buyer - HGTV should come & take notes! Taste & elegance abound! Upgrades include crown molding, hardwood floors, high-end stainless appliances & beautiful granite kitchen countertops! And it's as beautiful outside as it is in w/ a fabulously landscaped yard & incredible outdoor kitchen w/ a gas grill & deep fryer, and a great covered patio w/ 2 ceiling fans - perfect for entertaining! It just doesn't get any better than this. Call your favorite Realtor for an appointment.

Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources: http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/ and for all of your Pearland TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit my site at http://www.danfrankrealty.com/. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Danny Frank is a local Pearland TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Digital Media Training for Realtors in Houston TX #harsmp

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:04:44 -0600

Are you in need of training on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and blogging? If so, the place to be is Houston TX March 11 and 12 at the Hilton Post Oak Galleria, 2001 Post Oak Blvd, Houston TX.

http://har.com/digitalmedia/default.cfm

Some of the speakers include:

Doug Devitre
Amy Smythe Harris
Chris Schilling
Paul Chaney
Marilyn Maxwell
Ines Hegedus-Garcia
Max Pigman
Jeff Turner
Todd Carpenter
Ginger Wilcox

And this is just to name a few.... This All-Star cast will dazzle you with their in-depth knowledge of the digital media craze that is sweeping the world as fast as a tweet can go... Last years sold out in less than a week. So sigh up early so you won;t be left in the out box...

Digital Media is not a fad. It’s mainstream marketing and serious business. People are using these tools daily to achieve greater success and profitability. Are you?

The HAR Digital Media Spring Training 2010 is your training camp to become a power hitter by harnessing all the marketing muscle of digital media. Whether you are a Rookie attending Day 1 or in the Major Leagues Day 2, we have a track for you. Come learn from real estate’s top digital media pros in the country how to leverage digital marketing and hit a home run every time.

Serious Business…but we’ll have fun too. Sport your favorite baseball team jersey, ball cap, pennant or more and win a prize for Best Slugger.

Pearland TX: 10202 Lamb Brook, Real Estate for Sale

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:15:11 -0600

Pearland TX Home for Sale: 10202 Lamb Brook, Pearland TX 77574. ONLY $223,900.00

The 1st Texas Quarterly Housing Report 2010

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:06:19 -0600

Sales volume, price up in 2009-Q4 according to Texas Quarterly Housing Report

First-time homebuyer tax credit, homeowner-friendly public policies cited as keys to market strength

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
CONTACT: Stacy Armijo - Pierpont Communications, 512/448-4950

AUSTIN – February 1, 2010 - According to data provided by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, Texas’ housing market saw increases in sales volume and price in the fourth quarter of 2009. As reported in the first Texas Quarterly Housing Report, Texas’ sales volume for single-family homes for 2009-Q4 was 53,050, up 16 percent from the same quarter of 2008. The median home price in Texas also saw increases, from $140,100 in 2008-Q4 to $143,400 in the same quarter of 2009, a 2.35 percent increase.

“While figures throughout the last quarter of 2009 were positive compared to 2008, they were particularly positive in October and November, which makes it clear that the first-time homebuyer tax credit is having an impact in Texas,” said Jim Gaines, Ph.D., an economist with the Real Estate Center. “The increase in median price also stands out, particularly compared to national figures, which are down substantially.”

Texas also saw a decrease in the number of months of inventory in the market over the quarter, from 6.6 months to 6.5 months. Months inventory is an indicator of the supply of homes for sale in a market relative to the demand for homes. The Real Estate Center typically uses 6.5 months as the benchmark for a balanced market, meaning a reasonable supply of houses is being offered for sale relative to demand on a monthly basis.

Bill Jones, chairman of the Texas Association of Realtors, commented on the results: “We’re encouraged to see Texas’ real estate market performing well, both in terms of sales volume and price. Our state has been fortunate throughout the economic downturn and it’s encouraging to see that continue with robust results like these.”

One reason the Texas Association of Realtors cites for Texas’ strong real estate market is a legislative environment that promotes homeownership. In the last session of the Texas Legislature, Texas Realtors advocated to reform the state’s property appraisal system to improve fairness for homeowners. Texas Realtors succeeded in requiring appraisal districts to adopt a uniform set of standards for appraisals and supported legislation that strengthened homeowners’ rights against seizure of private property under eminent domain.

Chairman Jones continued, “Homeowners interact with Realtors every day, but very few know what the Realtor organization does to protect their property rights. From appraisal reform and eminent domain to property tax reduction, Texas Realtors are vigilant in ensuring Texas remains a great place to buy and sell a home.”

The economic picture may not look as positive in the future, however. Gaines explained: “Foreclosures in 2008 and 2009 were driven by subprime mortgages, which did not affect Texas as much as other parts of the country. However, a new wave of foreclosures is expected starting in 2010 driven by unemployment among those with prime mortgages. A larger number of these foreclosures will impact Texas.”

“Texas weathered the last few years relatively well, but we’re not out of the woods,” said Jones. “We’re in the midst of election season and Texas Realtors are selecting the candidates they support carefully. When lawmakers go back to work in 2011, they’ll face a big budget deficit and tough decisions. As they do, they must remember how important a strong real estate market has been to protecting the livelihoods of Texans. They must also ensure they don’t increase the tax burden homeowners can barely afford now and risk damaging one of our state’s most effective economic drivers.”

To view the Texas Quarterly Housing Report for 2009-Q4 in its entirety, visit www.TexasRealEstate.com.

About the Texas Quarterly Housing Report

The data for the Texas Quarterly Housing Report is provided by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University using statistics compiled from 47 multiple listing services in markets throughout Texas. The report includes data for single-family home sales over the course of one quarter and is scheduled for release by the Texas Association of Realtors on the following dates each year (or the next business day): Feb. 1, May 1, Aug. 1 and Nov. 1.

About the Texas Association of REALTORS®

With nearly 90,000 members, the Texas Association of Realtors is the largest professional membership association in the state and represents all aspects of real estate in Texas. We advocate on behalf of Texas Realtors and private property owners. Visit TexasRealEstate.com to learn more.

Please vote for my dog, Toby, a Golden Retriever

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:14:36 -0600

I need you help... My dog, Toby is in a contest... I need you to vote for him... Toby is a rescue dog and he now is able to visit the sick and elderly... Plesae vote for my boy....

http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/15821/voteable_entries/2736737

We adopted Toby from Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue (GBGRR) in March of 2008. He is an awesome visiting dog. His list of credentials include – Delta Society registered pet partner, Caring Critter, Canine Good Citizen and a gold medal winner in his sports foundation class. He loves his work as a visiting dog and currently visits an assisted living home in Pearland. He brings many smiles to the people he visits and is so happy to go see them, he just smiles the whole time. In his spare time he likes to be an ambassador for GBGRR by attending meet and greets for adoption or working booths and the dog show and various other events.

GBGRR, a non-profit organization founded in 1999, is celebrating our 10-year anniversary. In our first ten years, GBGRR has rescued more than two thousand Golden Retrievers and received numerous awards and grants. GBGRR received the Starfish Award from the Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) for our rescue efforts during hurricane Katrina, and in 2008, two of our rescued Goldens won G.R.A.C.E. (Golden Retrievers Achieving Community Excellence) Awards in two different categories at the GRCA Nationals in Providence, Rhode Island.

So You Want to be a Real Estate Investor

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:27:54 -0600

Effective February 1, 2010 the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will relax FHA rules that prohibit insuring mortgages on homes that are owned by the seller for less than 90 days – a move that could help expedite the rehabilitation and resale of foreclosure properties.

Do you want to get into the real estate business? Do you want to start to have residual income? Do you want to have freedom to do want to do? Do you want to tell your boss you quit? You can do it... Now is the time to buy. Prices or low, interest rates are low, inventory is high... NOW is the time to buy real estate for investment...

Call me at 713-581-4702 to learn how anyone can get into the real estate investment business and make a great living doing it.

Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources: http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/ and for all of your Pearland TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit my site at http://www.danfrankrealty.com/. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Danny Frank is a local Pearland TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Houston's NRG's Negotiations Luncheon

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:06:27 -0600

Save the Date....February 3 - Negotiations Luncheon @ The Grove NRG invites you to save the date for Wednesday, February 3, 2010 for our first educational luncheon of the year! We are kicking off the year with Tom Hayman President of Negotiation Expertise, LLC, home of the Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) designation one of the top new designations in real estate. More details coming soon! #NRG #HAR

http://tweetvite.com/event/NRGfeb09

Check out the tweetups on Tweetvite.

How Much Home You Can Afford

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:23:41 -0600

One of the first mistakes first time home buyers make, is to try and buy to MUCH home. As a first time home buyer you may qualify for a lot more home than you need to buy. I advise my clients to buy a home that fits their needs and still allows them to have a quality of life. You need to have a balance between monthly payments of your new home and the quality of life you want to live. Take into account all of your monthly outflow of cash of all of your bills. If you the max amount you where qualified for you might not be able to have cable TV, Internet, new blinds or be able to the furniture you want in your new home... You need to ask yourself "how much do I want to afford" and come up with a plan BEFORE you start looking for that new home.

Check out these sites: http://nhl.gov/buying/index.cfm#afford http://www.har.com/usearealtor/dispWhyRent.cfm

Danny Frank is a local Pearland TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

JANUARY-2010 Newsletter by Danny Frank

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:10:14 -0600

Welcome to the most current Housing Trends eNewsletter. This eNewsletter is specially designed for you, with national and local housing information that you may find useful whether you’re in the market for a home, thinking about selling your home, or just interested in homeowner issues in general.

Please click on this link to view the JANUARY-2010 Newsletter Housing Trends eNewsletter:
http://budurl.com/NewsletterJan09

The Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau, Realtor.org reports and other sources.

It also includes press releases with charts and videos, key market indicators and real estate sales and price statistics, a video message by a nationally recognized economist, maps, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, plus local neighborhood information and more.

If you are interested in determining the value of your home, click the “Home Evaluator” link for a free evaluation report:
http://budurl.com/HomeEvaluator

Sound decisions can only be made with accurate and reliable information, and I am happy to be a trusted resource for you. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with this monthly eNewsletter, and I look forward to answering any questions you may have and to the opportunity to be your REALTOR® in the future.

Sincerely yours,

Danny Frank
Keller Williams Realty Pearland
2734 Sunrise Blvd., Suite 208 Pearland TX 77584
713-581-4702
danfrank@kw.com

(While I hope you find the information contained in this eNewsletter useful and informative, if you wish to no longer receive it, you may click on the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the newsletter.)

Water Heaters: 5 Tips to Save Energy

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:03:39 -0600

Water Heaters: 5 Tips to Save Energy

By: Joe Bousquin

Published: August 28, 2009

Water heating accounts for up to 25% of household energy costs, but there are inexpensive things you can do to increase efficiency and reduce energy bills.

n the fight to save energy, your water heater is a born loser. That’s because most houses in this country have a conventional storage-type water heater. That 50-gallon tank in the basement wants to keep water hot, so it will be ready whenever you turn on the tap. But as the water sits, it naturally begins to cool down, a process known as standby heat loss. When it does, the burner or heating element kicks on to warm it up again, in a constantly repeating cycle. According to the Department of Energy, water heating accounts for 14% to 25% of your household’s total energy costs. But there are easy, low-cost steps you can take to reduce standby losses—and your hot-water bill, too. Try these five, and you’ll start seeing a difference right away.

Wrap your heater in a blanket

Just as you wouldn’t send little Susie out into the cold without a jacket, your water heater needs help to stay warm, especially if it’s in an unheated space. A fiberglass insulating blanket can cut heat loss by 25% to 40% and save 4% to 9% on the average water-heating bill of $308, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

Insulating blankets are cheap, usually less than $30 at the home center, and it’s easy to install one yourself. Follow the included directions, and take care not to block the thermostat on an electric water heater or the air inlet, exhaust, or top of the tank on a gas unit.

If your water heater is fairly new, check the manufacturer’s recommendations first. Many newer units already have insulating foam built in; on these models, an after-market jacket could block a critical component.

Install low-flow fixtures

One of the surest ways to cut hot water costs is to use less of it. According to the ACEEE, a family of four uses 700 gallons of hot water per week. By installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, which cost as little as $10 to $20 each, you can cut hot water consumption by 25% to 60%. These devices are easy to install and will save 14,000 gallons of hot water annually, plus the energy it takes to heat it. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the average U.S. household water bill at $474 a year. By cutting water consumption in half, you’ll save more than $200 annually.

Turn down the temperature

Many water heaters come from the factory with the temperature set needlessly high. For every 10 degrees you turn it down, you’ll save another 3% to 5% on your bill, according to ACEEE. A setting between 120 and 140 degrees is plenty hot for most uses. Just don’t go below 120 degrees, which could lead to the unsafe growth of bacteria inside the tank.

If the thermostat on your water heater doesn’t have a numbered gauge, put it midway between the “low” and “medium” marks. Wait a day, then measure the temperature at the tap with a standard cooking thermometer. Keep adjusting this way until you hit your target temperature.

Drain the sediment

Tanks naturally build up sediment, which reduces the unit’s efficiency and makes it more expensive to operate. “Imagine an inch of sand inside your water heater,” explains David Chisholm of manufacturer State Water Heaters. “When you get a layer at the bottom of the tank, you have to heat up that sediment before you can heat up the water.”

Draining the tank is relatively easy. Turn off the water and power to the unit (set the burner on a gas unit to “pilot”). Then connect a garden hose to the spigot at the base of the tank. With the other end of the hose at a lower spot outside the house where discharging hot water poses no danger, carefully lift the pressure-relief valve at the top of the tank and turn on the spigot; water should begin to flow. While most manufacturers recommend draining the tank once or twice a year, you don’t have to drain it completely; in fact, the Department of Energy recommends draining less water more often—just a quart every three months.

Insulate exposed hot-water pipes

Like blanketing the tank, wrapping hot-water pipes with insulation reduces standby losses. Water arrives at the tap 2 to 4 degrees warmer, which means you won’t have to stand around as long waiting for it to heat up, thus saving water, energy, and money. While this isn’t an expensive job to do yourself—six-foot-long, self-sealing sleeves easily slip over pipes and cost about $2.50 each—it could take some effort, depending on where your hot water pipes are. Exposed pipes in the basement are an easy target, but if pipes are in a hard-to-reach crawl space or inside walls, it might not be worth the trouble.

Joe Bousquin’s work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, and Men’s Journal. The owner of a 79-year-old home in Sacramento, Calif., he has a new reverence for his water heater.

Danny Frank is a local Pearland TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Google Android Phone or Apple's iPhone. Which is Better?

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:28:59 -0600

I have the new T-Mobile MyTouch and love it....

Via Bart Wilson (Voyager International):

When a good company starts going too many directions, when it starts to create too many new products, too many new services... the firm begins to lose it's focus. And so the Bartman predicts this may soon happen to Google sooner or later.

Al Ries is one of my favorite authors. He wrote a book that I still read (or listen to the audible version) every few months today.

Focus. The Future of Your Company Depends on it.

Apparently, nobody at Google read this one and this book has been out for more than ten years.

If you haven't read this book or listened to the audible version of it. Get it. Read it. This should be a book on every REALTOR's bookshelf today.

Google has Google Search. Why they're building a line extension and developing an iPhone me-too product with Verizon is a poor idea.

It would have been wise for Google to have stayed with this just that one service including Google Paid Search (AdWords). But this is the problem when you get too much money. You want to spend it. You want to tinker. You want add things.

Nobody told Google that less is more, and this is where I see the big problem for Google down the road.

Google's Search has pretty much replaced the Yellow Pages. I don't think a lot of you bother going to Yahoo or MSN anymore to search for anything today. Neither do millions of other people.

I have a few pounds around the middle I want to lose and I was impressed with the Bowflex Treadclimber.

I Google'd Treadclimber Best Price. Albuquerque.

Then I went to Yahoo and did the same search. Wow, talk about cluttered. Finding WHERE the search box was hard enough. Yahoo plasters so much crap on their home page these days you just can't help but be distracted every time you go there.

1.) OK is a new word now. I've been using OK and Okay for most of my life. Thanks for letting me know now it's OKAY to think of OK as a word.

2.) Southwest can take me a lot of places, one way trip eh? $59 bucks. Nice to see them slashing prices. But no thanks. I'll drive, thank you.

3.) (off the page) But I've got an ad for Scottrade.

4.) Ashlee now has black hair. So what? My mom changed her hair color last week. It's easy to do. Does anybody care about that?

5.) Americans in Uproar about 911 Masterminds Being Tried in New York. Why bother? They're war criminals. Shoot them. Get it over with. Jeez.

6.) Horoscope. Sports scores. Personals. Weather. Why is any of this important to me? I just want to find a TreadCimber please.

7.) Popular Searches. Says who? One click to Sara Palin, Clint Eastwood. Okay, fine. More distractions for my eyes.

8.) FINALLY! A Search Box! Yay, I found it. Hiding in plain sight.

Google is really good at Search. They are also really good at Google Apps and a few other things that add value to your Internet user experience.

Okay -- if you've read this far by now, you're wondering where my point is if you based your interest on the subject of my title, right? Fine. Let me get back on topic here. The Google - Verizon ANDROID Phone.

The only thing good about Google's Android phone, is the TV commercial.

A bunch of Stealth fighters come streaking into the skies and the camera pans close up to the bomb bay doors and they drop their weapons. We then see a lot of people looking up at the sky, watching these bombs or missiles streak down from the heavens where they sort of whump into the ground.

Curious looky-loos step cautiously to the meteor-like holes in the ground and then the commercial gets cheesy.

The dark bomb-like objects open up and reveal the Google Verizon Android phone just as some cowboy mutters "what in the world is that...?"

Nice commercial, but I feel cheated. I was hoping it was the sequel to 2012 or a movie sort of just like it.

I was at the mall the other day, and I stopped into the Verizon store and picked up an Android Phone. It's black, and slick looking. I immediately pulled out my iPhone 3GS and placed it next to the Android just as a Verizon sales representative came up behind me.

"Looking to upgrade or switch from iPhone to Android," the man smiled big like a Chesire Cat.

"Ha! Fat chance I said," I'm still pissed off about the crappy way Verizon baited me with that TV commercial. I thought was going to be a really kewl new movie and it's just an ad for the phone."

He quickly lost his smile and looked at me in disbelief, "So... how may I help you, sir?" he asked.

"I'm the electronics buyer for all of Sandia Labs, and I need to see if you can handle an order for 12,190 of these little puppies," I said.

"Wow? Really?" he said.

"No, I was just joking. I'm not buying a single one. I'm writing an article about this thing in ActiveRain. It's a Blog website that has about 150,000 REALTORS there and about 80 or so follow my blog pretty regularly."

By this time, he was getting frustrated by my teasing and insulting. After a few minutes of Quid pro quo he quickly realized I was only going to taunt him some more if he stayed around. So he meandered back to the other end of the store.

Just as I was starting to become to play with some of the Android's phone applications, Britney Spears came up to me and smiled and asked if she could help. Okay it wasn't really Britney but she was a close ringer as far as looks and that Pepsi smile goes.

"On my iPhone, I can pinch maps and the browser and zoom in and zoom out. The iPhone has this basic feature and so does the Palm Pre," I said to the Britney Spears look alike.

"Oh, she says, Motorola or Android haven't turned that on yet," she smiles and beams at me.

"So..... why are you selling the Android with that basic feature being crippled? Pinch zooming in and out is a really basic feature here. Didn't anyone think that was sort of important to have before you rolled this out?" I ask.

Then Britney hands me a Droid ERIS. She said the phone is $99 bucks and it does allow you to zoom and pinch to enlarge your maps and for Website browsing. it was nice, compact. lightweight. The Android is bigger and bulkier. There's no waste here with a physical keyboard. It was sort of Apple like. And it was a fraction of the price of the much more expensive Android.

Just as I was staring to smile, she blurts out the bad news. "Only a handful of applications are supported and the ERIS supports the older operating system. Not the newer, slicker one that Android has."

Two phones. Same carrier. Two different feature sets and lots of inconsistencies. This is really stupid.

Truth be known, I was shopping to see if it was worth my time and money to develop a new IDX specifically for the iPhone and the Android.

Since we are developing a brand new IDX system with a ChirpIDX feature for Twitter, I can tell you that developing a similar application for Verizon starting to look like a complete waste of my time and money. I made the decision right there inside the store... isn't going to happen.

The two different Operating Systems and the problems with them not supporting pinch mapping are a real deal killer for any serious GPS developer. The day we'd release this for our Ohio client, they'd be bugging me when we'd be supporting pinch mapping. Motorola nor Google has turned that feature on. Okay, this idea alone makes the front page of Stupidity Illustrated.

This might be fine for Verizon's 89 million subscribers, but for simplicity, my money is on Apple's iPhone to be the clear winner here.

Which is why the Bartman predicts more and more useful applications for the iPhone and REALTOR needs for GPS mapping and useful software will only continue to get better on the iPhone platform more so than Palm's Pre, Blackberry or the Google/Verizon Android or ERIS smart phones.

I only wish AT&T's service was better for coverage. More Bars in More Places? Ha! Not where I live. LESS Bars in MORE Places is more like it.

But for use-ability, nobody beats the Apple iPhone user experience.

Bart Wilson | Chief Marketing Officer | Real Estate Technology Coach

Voyager International. The Real Estate Marketing Company

Tel: (505) 466-2483 iPhone: (505) 204-8097

When It Pays to Do It Yourself

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:01:33 -0600

By: Oliver Marks

Published: September 1, 2009

Doing home-improvement jobs yourself can be a smart way to save money, but choose the right DIY projects or you’ll end up paying dearly.

Look for maintenance jobs that are relatively easy and need to be done regularly, so you can hone your skills over time. Image: Comstock/Getty Images

Why pay someone big bucks to do something you can just as easily do yourself? That’s the thinking that has gotten more Americans than ever swinging their own hammers. In a recent Time magazine poll, nearly a quarter of people said they were taking on more home-improvement projects themselves—understandably so, when you consider that it usually means a 50% to 75% discount, since all you pay for is materials.

But sometimes doing it yourself costs more than it saves, like when you decide to replace the toilet, end up flooding the basement, and have to pay a pro to fix your mistakes. Or, worse, if you become one of the more than 100,000 people injured each year doing home-improvement jobs. Here are some guidelines for deciding when DIY can save you money and when it could cost you.

Stick to routine maintenance for savings and safety

Seasonal home maintenance is ideal work for the DIY weekend warrior, since you can plan tasks in advance and get to them when your schedule allows. Because these are repeat projects, your savings will add up to big bucks over the years. Just by mowing your own lawn, for example, you can save $55 to $65 a week for a half-acre lawn during the growing season. The bigger the lot, the bigger the savings: with two acres, you’ll pocket around $150 per week.

When It Pays: Look for maintenance jobs that are relatively easy and need to be done regularly, so you can hone your skills over time. In addition to mowing, other good ones are snow removal, pruning shrubs, washing windows, sealing the deck, painting fences, fertilizing the lawn, and replacing air conditioner filters.

When It Doesn’t: Unless you have skill and experience on your side, stay off of any ladder taller than six feet; according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 164,000 people end up in emergency rooms every year because of ladder injuries. The same goes for operating power saws or attempting any major electrical work—it’s simply too risky if you don’t have the experience.

Act as your own GC on small jobs

If you’re more comfortable operating an iPhone than a circular saw, you may be able to act as your own general contractor on a home-improvement project and hire the carpenters, plumbers, and other tradesmen yourself. You’ll save 10% to 20% of the job cost, which is the contractor’s typical fee.

When it Pays: If it’s a small job that requires only two or three different tradesmen, and you have good existing relationships with top-quality professionals in those fields, consider DIY contracting.

When It Doesn’t: Unless you have an established network of contacts who will show up as promised, the time to spend on oversight, enough construction experience to spot potential problems, and the skill to negotiate disputes between the various subcontractors, trying to manage your own project can quickly send the schedule and budget off the rails.

Pitch in with sweat equity on big jobs

Contributing your own labor on a big job being handled by a professional crew can cut hundreds or even thousands of dollars off the contractor’s bill. Tear the cabinets and appliances out of your old kitchen before the contractor gets started, say, and you might knock $800 off the cost of your remodel, says Dean Bennett, a design/build contractor in Castle Rock, Colorado.

When it Pays: Grunt work—jobs that are labor intensive but require relatively little skill—makes the best homeowner contribution. Offer to do minor interior demolition like removing cabinets and pulling up old flooring, daily jobsite cleanup, product assembly, and simple landscaping like planting foundation shrubs and grass seed around your new addition.

When It Doesn’t: If you get in the crew’s way, you may slow them down far more than you help. Make your contributions when the workers aren’t around, such as in the morning before they arrive, or on nights and weekends after they’ve left.

Put on some of the finishing touches

Unlike the early phases of a construction job, which require skilled labor to frame walls, install plumbing pipes, and run wiring, many of the finishing touches on a project are comparatively simple and DIY-friendly. If you do the painting yourself for a new basement rec room, for instance, you can easily save $1,800, Bennett says.

When it Pays: If you have the skill—or a patient temperament and an experienced friend to teach you—finish work like setting tile, laying flooring, painting walls, and installing trim are all good DIY jobs.

When It Doesn’t: The downside to attempting your own finish work is that the results are very visible. Hammer dents in woodwork, for example, or sander ruts in your hardwood floors may cause you aggravation every time you see them. So unless you have a sure eye and a steady hand, it may not pay to embark on these tasks.

A former carpenter and newspaper reporter, Oliver Marks has been writing about home improvements for 16 years. He’s currently restoring his second fixer-upper with a mix of big hired projects and small do-it-himself jobs.

Danny Frank is a local Pearland TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Pearland TX: DECEMBER-2009 Newsletter by Danny Frank

Danny Frank (Keller Williams Realty 713-581-4702) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:25:14 -0600

DECEMBER-2009 Newsletter Housing Trends eNewsletter

Welcome to the most current Housing Trends eNewsletter. This eNewsletter is specially designed for you, with national and local housing information that you may find useful whether you're in the market for a home, thinking about selling your home, or just interested in homeowner issues in general.

Please click on this link to view the DECEMBER-2009 Newsletter Housing Trends eNewsletter:
http://danfrank.housingtrendsenewsletter.com?Newsletter_ID=238&Period_ID=180

The Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau, Realtor.org reports and other sources.

It also includes press releases with charts and videos, key market indicators and real estate sales and price statistics, a video message by a nationally recognized economist, maps, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, plus local neighborhood information and more.

If you are interested in determining the value of your home, click the "Home Evaluator" link for a free evaluation report:
http://danfrank.housingtrendsenewsletter.com/dispContent.cfm?loadid=2&loadtype=0

Sound decisions can only be made with accurate and reliable information, and I am happy to be a trusted resource for you. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with this monthly eNewsletter, and I look forward to answering any questions you may have and to the opportunity to be your REALTOR® in the future.

Whether you're interested in buying your first home, your next home, or just want to know more about home-ownership in general, I encourage you to check out a couple of great online resources: http://www.texasrealestate.com/ or http://www.har.com/ and for all of your Pearland TX and Northern Brazoria and Galveston County real estate needs, please visit my site at http://www.danfrankrealty.com/. All of these sites offer tons of useful, real estate-related information geared specifically for Texans.

Danny Frank is a local Pearland TX Real Estate expert! You can see my entire blog at http://www.pearlandrealtyblog.com

Sincerely yours,

Danny Frank
Keller Williams Realty Pearland
2734 Sunrise Blvd., Suite 208 Pearland TX 77584
713-581-4702
danfrank@kw.com
http://www.danfrankrealty.com