REALTORS® from all across the country sat down in front of the camera at the 2009 Midyear Legislative Meetings, to tell Congress the homebuyer tax credit is working. But it’s not enough!

Watch the video to learn more and then send your own message to Congress telling them to extend and expand the tax credit.

Here’s a sample letter:

Dear (your Senator or your Representative),

As a Realtor and a constituent, I can assure you that the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit has definitely been a success. Homebuyer interest and housing sales increased almost as soon as the ink was dry on the tax credit legislation. Today's lower prices and interest rates appeal to consumers, but it's been the tax credit that has attracted people to open houses and to homeownership.

That progress could grind to a halt sooner than you think. Congress must act NOW to extend the credit through 2010. Otherwise, uncertainty will return and the market might again be frozen – possibly as soon as October.

A homebuyer is eligible for the tax credit only if the home is “purchased” before December 1, 2009. That means that buyers have to find a house, complete a contract, satisfy any contingencies, secure financing and go to closing by November 30. Accomplishing those tasks by November 30 will become more difficult with every passing day. In today's market, it generally takes between 45 and 60 days to go from contract to closing.

The market has improved, but it has not yet fully corrected itself. The credit needs to be extended for an additional period of time and expanded in order to build upon the progress that's been made. Uncertainty about the future of the credit will dampen consumer demand. The best way to assure continued housing activity is to extend and expand the credit and to do that NOW.

We can't wait until late in the year to see what happens. Consumers will drop out soon if they can't predict what's in their future. Please act NOW to extend and expand the credit through 2010.

Sincerely,

(your name)

(your address)

Have you joined a social-media site such as Facebook or LinkedIn? Did you know a complete profile is 86% more likely to attract business proposals than one that is not? 

Experience success by customizing your profile:

• Profile Photo – allows those interested in connecting with you to put a face to the reputation
• Introduction – use this as an overview of your skills and your preferences
• Add Contact Info – If you want to be contacted directly this a great way to streamline new business-development efforts
• Define Work Experience – show detailed on-the-job experience and you’ll have an online resume for all to see
• Define interests and education – after defining these, search to discover others who share similar educational backgrounds and interests

Source: Spoke business directory

Mark Tepper is Vice President of Business Development and Sales for HomeFinder.com, a leading online national marketplace connecting home buyers, sellers and real estate professionals. A 19-year sales, marketing and business development veteran, Tepper has worked in the real estate technology space for 10+ years.

Click here to read his interview.

Turns out blogging is more important than we thought.

Technorati in its State of the Blogosphere 2009 says working professionals writing about their industry have greater visibility in their industry and more clients who purchase products and services. They also say their company is now regarded as a thought leader.

But how do you actually begin writing a blog post?

Let’s assume you’ve started a blog and as Adam Singer of TheFutureBuzz recommends, you’re writing about something you think is “fun.” (Tip #9 of 50 Blogging Lessons: “Speaking of fun – if you don’t find writing about your topic of choice fun, stop and write about something else.”)

If your blog is fun for you, you probably will have a brain-full of topics to write on. But what if you’ve covered those. And now you’re looking at post #4 for the week and you’ve hit a blank … page?

Then just start. Writing. Start with a word.

It doesn’t have to be the FINAL word. Just start with whatever is in your head. Maybe it’s the lyrics to the song you just heard on your iPod. Maybe it’s what you just screamed at your dog when he ran out in the street.

Whatever.

The first sentence and the first paragraph are usually the hardest. Get past those and you can go back and edit later.

For 15 tips from TheFutureBuzz on overcoming writer’s block, click here. And get writing!

You have permission to reprint this marketing tip in your publications. Please include the following Resource Box:

©2009, FrogPond. All rights reserved. FrogPond offers you FREE 1 Minute Housing Market Report. Agents Sign Up HERE for your personalized e-Newsletter.

To request information about 1 Minute Housing Market Report, royalty-free articles and/or publishing software, call 800-704-FROG (3784) or e-mail Susie@frogpond.com today.

by Kevin Nunley

There are a few ways to write direct mail copy that will create more response. Through trying these techniques, your copy will be more interesting, better-read, and more effective in getting sales.

Boasting takes a great deal of skill, but can dramatically help increase response. If you feel confident as a writer, try this method. Brag a little. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs use this method. A few post their bank statement online. Make sure that after you boast about your abilities you quickly turn the focus to how you can help the reader.

Address the prospect’s common complaint. Anticipate the objection to your product. Answer the complaint right at the beginning of your letter. The reader will be hooked!

Make sure that you avoid contradictions. Review your copy for consistency. If a customers read statements that are contradictory, they will question your credibility.

Kevin Nunley has been the top writer of sales letters, Web site copy, press releases and ads since 1996. His talent and experience gets YOU results! Order his affordable writing and promotion deals at http://DrNunley.com

Social Media didn’t just begin overnight. It’s a natural and very important part of the evolution of the Internet. In fact, some say it may be the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution.

Written by Mel Aclaro and real estate author and guru Stefan Swanepoel, the Swanepoel SOCIAL MEDIA Report 2010 will help you understand how to benefit from this new tool.

Here are some of the items the 120-page Report covers:

• Where to Start with Social Media?
• Finding your Target Market Online
• Social Media Rules of Engagement
• Best Practices and Tactics
• Finding Social Balance Online
• Top 25 Social Media Networks
• How to Manage your Time?
• Finding Social Media ROI 

The report also includes a special 10-day step-by-step action plan for real estate professionals.

“It’s all about the conversation, the sharing and the value to bring to the other members of the discussion,” said Swanepoel. “The more selfless your actions the better your following and ultimate return will be.”

      Pre-publication special offer

Swanepoel is offering FrogPond friends a special discount of 46 percent when they buy a copy of the Report.

This means you will receive the Report for only $43.05 (plus S&H) instead of $79.95 (plus S&H) – that’s a saving of $36.90 per Report.

Go to the RealSure Online Bookstore at www.RealEstateBooks.org and use the promo code Friends

“I have no doubt that you will find my new SOCIAL MEDIA Report of immense value in guiding you through the evaluation, preparation, implementation and monetization stages of Social Media,” said Swanepoel.

Some 66% of U.S. organizations responding to a survey say controlling costs will be the primary driver for workforce decisions next year, according to Mercer’s “Human Capital Planning 2010.”

60% say they plan to focus more on high-potential employees. The survey, conducted in July 2009, includes responses from nearly 160 midsize and large employers.

Source: Mercer

In today’s tough housing market, many homebuyers and sellers are discouraged and confused. The information they receive in the mainstream media is often conflicting and sometimes just plain negative.

Ever wish you could be the source of the good news they need to hear? Well, you can with the 1 Minute Housing Trends Report (HTEN), brought to you by eFrogPond Inc., FrogPond.com’s parent company.

“Whether you’re marketing to baby boomers or Gen Y Millennials, they are looking for detailed information and statistics on trends and local market conditions,” said FrogPond President Susie Hale.

“We developed HTEN as a monthly real estate market update that can be shared with clients and prospects via e-mail and your Web site. It’s a tool for you to personalize – and it’s FREE,” she added.

 
“Housing consumers and real estate professionals have voracious appetites for information about markets – most often their own – and seek multiple sources to insure that they are well informed when making a decision to sell or buy or to service those who are doing so.  The One Minute Housing Report provides a valuable tool for all participants in the housing market today one that doesn’t exist in this format anywhere else at this time.  REAL Trends believes that it is not one source that fills the growing need for timely useful market knowledge and we’re excited to bring this new tool to our readers and others.”  Steve Murray, editor, REAL Trends, Inc.

5,000 agents signed up for HTEN. Be one of the first to sign up and choose your name as URL.

     Content is very intentional

 HTEN includes such content as:                                
     ·         Find a Home

·         Visit My Website

·         Housing Market Video Report

·         National Housing and Economic Indicators

·         State Home Sales

·         Regional Single-Family Home Sales and Prices

·         Your Market’s Median Home Price

It also includes articles covering the national real estate market and articles aimed at consumers, such as “Create a winning study/homework space for your child” and “How to show off your home for sale.”

It’s real information – not just fluffy bunnies – but it’s a contrast to a lot of the negative drumbeat you hear on the national news.

“It’s no accident we highlight the 1 Minute Housing Trends Report with the tagline ‘Facts affecting your housing decisions,’” said Hale. “We want you to be proud to send out this factual – yet positive – e-newsletter to your buyers and sellers!”

To view the FREE 1 Minute Housing Market Report, click here. Agents Sign Up HERE for your personalized HTEN.

by Laura Michaud

There is no single right way for families to transfer assets. In fact, there are as many different ways to split assets as there are families.

However, you can capitalize on certain laws to avoid as much taxation as possible.

Whenever possible, it is best to transfer assets to family members sooner rather than later. For a simple example, let’s say the senior generation has $1 million in its estate. If it grows at 7 percent a year, in 10 years it will be worth $1,967,150.

If the senior member were to die at this point and the total estate was worth more than the exemption amount, federal and state death taxes would come out of this amount. As an example: in Illinois in 2009 the total could be more than $1 million for both federal and state death tax.

On the other hand, if the senior generation gives the original $1 million to children, grandchildren and in-laws (if comfortable), the 7 percent growth occurs in the younger generation’s estate, thus saving nearly $1 million from taxes.

You should discuss gifts to family members with your accountant to ensure you are passing as much as possible while maintaining enough for your financial needs.

You can obtain more information on running a successful family business by purchasing Laura Michaud’s book: From the Kitchen Table to the Conference Table: Family Business Communication (Cameo Publications - 2004), $17.95. Click for more information: Family Business Books and Materials.

HGTV has added OpenHouse.com to its digital household already featuring its popular real-estate listing and information site, FrontDoor.com. The site also has been given a new look and feel.

“OpenHouse.com opens up property listings’ open houses to a wide audience, putting consumers in the driver’s seat without having to get in their car,” said HGTV parent, Scripps Network Digital.

“The easy-to-use site helps homebuyers find open house schedules and addresses and view home photos and details. Users can also view hundreds of thousands of virtual home tours, helping to target their search and create an open house visitation schedule in their area.”

Our recent Voices of Women profile subject Kelly Roark of FrontDoor.com added there is an even broader opportunity to promote open house search via promotional vehicles such as HGTV’s Open House Sunday (10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)

Real estate franchisors, brokerages and other property listing aggregators who currently reach the HGTV and FrontDoor audience through FrontDoor.com listings will now gain the same exposure in marketing their open-house events and online home tours through the integration of FrontDoor.com with OpenHouse.com.

by Steven Gillman

We should always be looking for ways of thinking outside the box. It isn’t that we will always find a better solution through more creative or non-conventional solutions. But we sometimes will. Maybe that doesn’t sound inspiring enough, so let me explain.

Suppose you get in the habit of thinking outside the box and you have many interesting, creative, but unusable ideas. So most of the time you fall back on conventional solutions to your problems, whether at home or in business or in the workplace.

But once in a while you have an inspiration that doubles your income or changes your life dramatically for the better or results in a new idea or invention that the world hasn’t seen before? Is that more interesting?

You see, it isn’t necessary nor reasonable to expect that you’ll have great new ideas every day. But one here and there can make all the difference, and repay you for all the time spent brainstorming silly concepts that went nowhere. How do you have that occasional flash of creative inspiration? Here are three ways.

1. Just get silly

Some of you are hating this already. You don’t want to start spewing out nonsense and look silly in front of others. Or even if you are by yourself you feel uncomfortable imagining eyes on shoes and doodling pictures of people talking to wheelchairs. The good news is that you can get seriously creative without such silliness. There are enough other ways of thinking outside the box.

The bad news is that such seriousness did not lead to reflective strips on running shoes. That safety innovation actually came from a brainstorming session in which one participant imagined eyes on shoes looking out for traffic. Silly ideas often morph into practical inventions if given the chance to exist in the first place. And by the way, there are not only wheelchairs that respond to the user’s voice, but now one that can be controlled by thought.

2. Look beyond the current definitions

Problems are expressed or defined in certain ways, and that affects the potential solutions that come to mind. You could call the usual ways of stating a problem the “box.” Now get out of it by restating them in new ways.

For example, you might see the problem at your business as how to get customers to buy more of your product or service. That leads to more typical marketing ideas or to price cuts. Or you might redefine the problem as how to help customers see the value you offer and so accept the higher price.

Even more out of the box is the question of how to just find customers who already can appreciate what you have to offer and will pay the high price without hesitation. Now you’ve gone from the more stressful task of trying to sell more to just making more money from fewer happier customers - and there may be a way if you look.

3. Cross-breed ideas

You need to make a house that is more energy efficient. Rather than looking at other houses and what has been tried in this area, why not look at a whole different area, like animals. What do they do to heat and cool themselves, and how can you apply that to your house design? Of all of the ways of thinking outside the box, “cross-breeding” ideas form different areas of knowledge like this is one of the most fun and creative.

©Steve Gillman. For inventions, new product ideas, business ideas, story ideas, political and economic theories, deep thoughts, a free course on Creating new Ideas, and more on Thinking Out Of The Box, visit: http://www.999ideas.com/. Article source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Gillman

(Flickr photo by photogirl7)

Leftover turkey? Ingredients in search of recipes: www.supercook.com

Even if you have a plan for family meals, things don’t always go as they should. You may be late getting to the grocery store. You may have ingredients but no recipe. OR you may have lots of leftover roast turkey the day after Thanksgiving!

In that case, a visit to SuperCook helps you find a recipe for ingredients you have on hand. The site finds a recipe that uses all or some of them.

Also pay attention to the “Do you have” box. If you have the ingredients listed, it offers even more recipes.

     Add scenic drive to your Websites: www.fs.fed.us

At this section of the U.S. Forest Service Web site, you’ll find the best places in the country to admire the fall color as well as links to state and national parks. You can even get a color report for your state!

     Garage sale connect-the-dots: YardSaleTreasureMap.com

When you visit YardSaleTreasureMap.com, you enter your starting address, the maximum number of miles you're willing to travel, and the day you wish to shop: Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Clicking on "Search" then generates a Google map of the area's garage sales posted on Craigslist -- in addition to a recommended driving route.

Click on the red balloon for each listing to get the specific time and address, plus details of what's for sale. (Thanks to AARP Bulletin for this gem.)

     Find your phone: wheresmycellphone.com

We’ve all hunted for a misplaced cell phone. The easiest way to find a cell phone, of course, is to call it so you will hear it ring.

However, if you’ve abandoned your landline and rely solely on a cell phone, here’s what to do. Make a quick visit to WheresMyCellPhone. Enter your number, and it will ring your cell phone. Just the helping hand you need! (The site does not share or store your phone number.)

by Maria Gracia

Are you feeling like you’re buried under an avalanche of paper?

Most of us are right there with you. We’ve all gotten overwhelmed with the paper that is around us. It seems the more we talk about going paperless, the more paper we generate!

In many, if not all, Fortune 500 companies, paperless is the mantra. The problem was and probably still is, that every effort to go paperless seemed to generate tons more paper than before!

But we have a few tips here to help you to truly accomplish being paperless as possible. Join us as we shovel out from under the avalanche.

1. Declutter, declutter, declutter

One of the first things to do to accomplish our mission is to declutter the unnecessary paper around us. Much of the paper we have, we can eliminate. The first step is to invest in a shredder, preferably a diamond-cut shredder that makes confetti out of your paper. The second thing is to invest in a safe deposit box (at a bank) or get a fireproof box for your home.

The third step is to set aside a time each day to work at reducing the level of paper. In most cases it isn’t going to happen in a day or two, it’s going to take a little time. Start with 15 minutes each day until it is under control.

2. How long to keep what

Some papers need to be kept for a short time, some for a bit longer, and some need to be kept your entire life. The next few tips will deal with the length of time to keep which papers. The forever papers should be kept in the safe deposit box or fireproof box, along with the papers you should keep for seven (7) years.

In addition, purchase a file cabinet or dedicate a file drawer or two to hold the papers you should keep for up to three (3) years.

3. Keep forever

A will, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, prenuptial agreements, alimony and child-custody agreements, divorce decrees, adoption papers, military records, citizenship papers, passports, health-care power of attorney, copies of your IRA or 401K accounts along with copies of the form that names your plan beneficiaries, current insurance policies, employment contracts, deeds, property titles, mortgages, and stock and bond certificates are all items you should keep forever.

4. Keep for at least 7 years

Income tax returns (state and federal) with all supporting documentation should be kept at least seven years. Supporting documentation is everything you use to figure your taxes. Also keep wage/salary records and annual payroll-check stubs, canceled checks or bank statements, savings account records, monthly statements including information from banks, brokers, retirement plans, auto titles, guarantees and warranties along with dates and costs of improvements to your home.

5. Keep for up to 3 years

Papers that confirm buying or selling of stocks and bonds, pay stubs, credit-card statements if they list tax deductible expenses or charitable gifts, utility and phone bills, ATM receipts/deposit slips, and medical bills should all be kept for up to three years.

6. Use the computer for filing

Many of us print off documents that we could be storing on our computers. Instead of printing a copy of what you have on the computer, back up your files on a second hard drive, a removable drive, or even on the Internet. Many external hard drives are very affordable, offer a vast amount of storage and are very reliable. No matter how good computers are, they do fail and so an external hard drive or even an Internet backup is a good insurance against losing your data.

7. Electronic billing and bill pay

Another way to reduce the amount of paper coming into your home is to sign up for electronic billing. Many companies will be very happy to send you an electronic bill only. You will receive your monthly statement via e-mail that will give you a link to view your bill.

Many companies also will encourage you to pay electronically. This can be by an automatic deduction every month or a one-time payment. You not only reduce the amount of paper coming into your home, you reduce the amount of paper going out of your home too. Many banks now offer free bill pay. You can sign up with your bank to pay your bills automatically each month or use them for a one-time payment, just like with each individual company. This gives you a one stop place to take care of all of your bills.

8. Eliminate the junk mail

Contacting the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and registering with its Mail Preference Service provides an effective way for you to fight the junk-mail glut. The DMA does not provide marketers with consumer mailing lists or do consumer mailings. It provides a Mail Preference Service to marketers for the sole purpose of removing consumer’s names and addresses from their prospect mailing lists.

Avoid getting on even more mailing lists by taking precautions whenever you submit your name and address to anyone. If you’re filling out a form such as a warranty, subscription, raffle, customer info card, credit card application, membership for an organization, etc., add the phrase “please do not rent, sell, or trade my name or address” next to the other information you provide. (Be advised that it is not necessary to fill out a warranty card to benefit from the warranty on your purchase. The warranty card is usually just a way to get consumer info from you.) Repeat these same magic words every time you’re giving a company or organization your name and address over the phone or Internet, such as when ordering a catalog, magazine, or making a purchase. The sales rep will then flag your name in the computer.

9. Sort your mail at the shredder

When you are opening your mail EACH DAY, do so over the shredder. If it’s not a bill or personal correspondence, or a charitable donation request that you support, shred anything that has your name and address on it. It is important that you shred to protect your identity. There is so much identity theft going on that could be prevented by shredding anything that has your name and address on it. This includes catalog order forms along with the back cover where your mailing address is.

10. Handle it once

When paper does come into your home, handle it only once. That means you either shred it, attend to it (pay a bill, answer a letter, etc.) or file it. This way you don’t have a pile of papers to deal with all at once, it’s already taken care of. If you only pay bills on certain days, have an “immediate” file set up that you put bills to be paid, correspondence to be answered, and other categories that mean something to you personally. After all, if it doesn’t work for you, you won’t use it.

11. Cancel the subscription

How many magazines come into your home on a weekly basis that you don’t have time to read? Are they stacking up too? If that is the case, it’s time to re-evaluate whether or not you really need to continue to subscribe to those magazines. That includes newspaper subscriptions too. If you have time to read a newspaper then don’t cancel it, but if it piles up alongside the magazines you don’t have time to read, why have it come into the house in the first place? Most newspapers have Web sites where you can read the newspaper online, saving paper.

12. Keep it under control

All the systems in the world won’t do a bit of good if you don’t keep on top of it. By reducing the amount of paper you have to deal with on a daily basis, it is easier to keep up with it. Don’t let your “to be filed” basket be filled to overflowing. Instead, file each piece as it comes into the house. Then it is no longer a mountain threatening an avalanche when you walk by.

Maria Gracia is a nationally recognized author, speaker, consultant and professional organizer. She is founder of Get Organized Now!, where you can get a FREE Get Organized Now! Idea-Pak, filled with tips and ideas to help you organize your home, your office and your life.

     Increasing revenue by nearly 20 percent

BizReport.com says brands are using Facebook fan pages, customer reviews, Twitter and blogs to drive word-of-mouth and increase brand loyalty.

Presented in Las Vegas, this is a great event to increase your effectiveness in a boardroom or convention hall, addressing audiences of 5 or 500 and getting the attention of senior management.

Whether you are a novice, intermediate, or even advanced business presenter or professional speaker, you can benefit from Fripp’s unique ability to demystify the process of what it takes to design a great presentation.

Click here to play a video postcard. Click here to learn more about the event and to register.

Hugs, The Frog

Susie Hale, President
Frog Pond
FrogPond Publisher
800.704.FROG (3764)
susie@frogpond.com

The Pond Report is published monthly by eFrog Pond, Inc. Our corporate address is 101 Westcott, Suite 102, Houston, TX 77007. We never rent, trade or sell our e-mail list to anyone for any reason whatsoever. If you received this newsletter from a friend and you'd like to subscribe FREE to The Pond Report, click here. To unsubscribe or notify us of change of e-mail address, click here.  

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