I would like to share with you the fantastic afternoon I had this last Saturday. My wife and I had the privilege of being invited to the two hour Saddleback Civil Forum with Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain. This was the first time these two presidential hopefuls, and expected nominees for the Democratic and Republican Parties, shared a public stage. 

Rick Warren, author of “A Purpose Driven Life,” and pastor of our Church, Saddleback in Lake Forest, had organized for Obama and McCain to come and present their views on important issues. 

There are very few blueprints available to real estate agents who want to expand their business through the building of a team.  The people who have built teams have done so predominantly through trial and error.  My desire is to give you the initial steps of that blueprint to success.

I remember it like it was yesterday: my first December in real estate.  I’d been working very hard and my business was finally starting to take off.  I had four closings scheduled for the month, and believe me, I needed the money.  After a lean six months in a new career, we were going to have a normal Christmas again, and I was thrilled.  Don’t get me wrong — I’m not materialistic and my family has cheerfully endured good times and bad, but let’s face it, more is better than less.

Everyone hears about the problems in real estate; that there are many homes on the market and many more being lost to foreclosure every day.

First I’d like to commend you for sticking with me through the previous six installments.  We’ve covered a lot of ground, and hopefully you’ve been able to take something of value away from each article.  Now we finally come to the end.  We’ve discussed lots of topics, from technology to advertising.  From theory to practical application.  Now it’s time to help you assemble your own online marketing plan and what specific steps you need to take to put your newly formed strategy into action.  So let’s get started.

It’s amazing to watch the world through the eyes of a child.  The exposure we gain is immeasurable.  The evaluation skills we can take and the questioning of everything by the child gives pause to our often routine, busy lives.

I watched Glenn Beck's dig on NAR's former and current economists, David Lereah and Lawrence Yun.  I found it amusing if not a bit sympathetic for Messrs. Lereah and Yun. 

The highlight of it was Glenn's graphical overlay showing dates on which optimistic announcements were made by the NAR economists about the housing market superimposed upon a declining Price-Date trend line.

Click the video above, you be the judge.

Last week, President George Bush signed The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 (the Housing Act) into law.

In the last installment, I discussed website basics.  I intentionally left off one part of the typical website: the capture mechanism or gateway.  Some call it the form or registration page, but whatever you call it, it is the most important part of your site.  As far as I’m concerned, it is more important than the website itself.  Yes, I really said that.  Let me repeat myself: It is more important than the website.

No IPO in 2009 says Zillow, as they feel the pinch of the real estate, financial and online marketing markets. Intriguing as leadership has always been very bullish on building a business model entirely around online advertising.