EFFECTIVE REAL ESTATE SALES FOR WEB 2.0
Reality Magazine recently published an article describing the benefits of a group to which I belong called the Allen F. Hainge CyberStars. CyberStars includes 201 Realtors, both here in the States and abroad, who are at the top of their market and interested in conversing about the very latest technology that will help sell homes for the most amount of money in the least amount of time.
In the midst of Web 2.0--"the Internet’s progression of social-networking and media-sharing sites"--staying web-savvy for a Realtor no longer means simply having a website. Allen Hainge and his group are committed to finding the latest "technology tools," including the incorporation of digital video, podcasts, blogs and MySpace pages.
Because my fellow CyberStar members are "market leaders—the higher-power group" who are necessarily willing "to share ideas on how technology increases profit, and how we can make our Web sites better to contact buyers and sellers," my clients are truly the ones who benefit from this association.
To read more about how CyberStars got started and hear what other members have to say about the group, go to Techie Supernovae Explode in Real Estate Market
To take a look at my own website, go to www.LiveInSantaCruz.com
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
CAN AMERICA CATCH UP WITH EUROPE'S "GREEN" REVOLUTION?
Eco-friendly architecture is all the rage in Europe--especially Germany and the Netherlands--but it doesn't look like you'd expect.
After years of tightening government regulations, European architects are designing some of the most sustainable buildings in the world while at the same time moving past the "self-conscious," blatantly eco-friendly look of solar panels and sod roofs.
"Green" technology has become so common place in Europe that it no longer needs to be expressed by the architecture itself. Architects such as Willem Jan Neutelings and Michiel Riedijk of the Netherlands do not equate 'industrial' with "ugly." Technology has advanced in Europe in such a way that the design of a building can express, say, the history of the shipping docks of Rotterdam, or the feel of speed that's appropriate for the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, while employing the latest in sustainability techniques.
This brave new design is possible, of course, because of Europe's strict nationwide standards for sustainability. Unfortunately, the United States finds itself far behind in this area. In fact, the eco-friendly regulations set up by the U.S. government (the LEED guidelines) are totally voluntary and more than a decade old.
Mark Wigley, of Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, claims that a new generation of architects in the United States is coming that assumes the importance of sustainability and is ready to take an "ecologically radical point of view."
This issue for the U.S. seems to be the consumer. Many clients do not want to pay for sustainable design, despite existing government regulations or the concerns of the architect or builder. Wigley believes things are changing, though, and that we will see the architectural world change at the hands of willing clients.
To read this article in its entirety, go to Why Are They Greener Than We Are?
Eco-friendly architecture is all the rage in Europe--especially Germany and the Netherlands--but it doesn't look like you'd expect.
After years of tightening government regulations, European architects are designing some of the most sustainable buildings in the world while at the same time moving past the "self-conscious," blatantly eco-friendly look of solar panels and sod roofs.
"Green" technology has become so common place in Europe that it no longer needs to be expressed by the architecture itself. Architects such as Willem Jan Neutelings and Michiel Riedijk of the Netherlands do not equate 'industrial' with "ugly." Technology has advanced in Europe in such a way that the design of a building can express, say, the history of the shipping docks of Rotterdam, or the feel of speed that's appropriate for the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, while employing the latest in sustainability techniques.
This brave new design is possible, of course, because of Europe's strict nationwide standards for sustainability. Unfortunately, the United States finds itself far behind in this area. In fact, the eco-friendly regulations set up by the U.S. government (the LEED guidelines) are totally voluntary and more than a decade old.
Mark Wigley, of Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, claims that a new generation of architects in the United States is coming that assumes the importance of sustainability and is ready to take an "ecologically radical point of view."
This issue for the U.S. seems to be the consumer. Many clients do not want to pay for sustainable design, despite existing government regulations or the concerns of the architect or builder. Wigley believes things are changing, though, and that we will see the architectural world change at the hands of willing clients.
To read this article in its entirety, go to Why Are They Greener Than We Are?
Monday, May 14, 2007
FED REFUSES TO LOWER INTEREST RATES FOR NOW
Almost one year ago the Fed set the interest rate on overnight loans at 5.25% in response to rising inflation rates. Today, not much has changed.
As of May 9th, the Fed has decided to keep the same interest rate of 5.25%, saying that inflation is still a "predominant policy concern." While many note that lack of job creation and the "meltdowns" of the housing and auto markets signal slow economic growth, the Fed contends that overall the economy is growing at a rate that continues to create inflation pressures.
Because of these mixed signals, and due to a lack of long-term evidence, the Fed has made it clear that it wants to keep its options open and maintain flexibility.
To read the New York Times article in its entirety, go to Fed Gives No Signal of Rate Shift.
Almost one year ago the Fed set the interest rate on overnight loans at 5.25% in response to rising inflation rates. Today, not much has changed.
As of May 9th, the Fed has decided to keep the same interest rate of 5.25%, saying that inflation is still a "predominant policy concern." While many note that lack of job creation and the "meltdowns" of the housing and auto markets signal slow economic growth, the Fed contends that overall the economy is growing at a rate that continues to create inflation pressures.
Because of these mixed signals, and due to a lack of long-term evidence, the Fed has made it clear that it wants to keep its options open and maintain flexibility.
To read the New York Times article in its entirety, go to Fed Gives No Signal of Rate Shift.
Monday, May 07, 2007
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS: POCKET PROJECTORS THAT WORK WONDERS
Weighing just 1.5 pounds and using L.E.D.s that last about 10,000 hours, Samsung's Pocket Imager SP-P310MEMX is an example of the latest in projector technology. "Pocket projectors" cast a smaller image than the usual arc-lamp projectors but are perfect for giving presentations outside of conference rooms (as long as there is a nearby wall available) and prove much more effective than three or four people huddling around a laptop screen to see PowerPoint slides.
Should you want to use the pocket projector for movie watching or gaming, the image--though smaller--appears just as crisp as those cast from full-size projectors, according to the experience of Annie Eisenberg of the New York Times. In addition, the L.E.D.s require no cooling fan so less background noise is created by the projector itself.
For sales people who must travel with their own projectors capable of generating a larger image for larger audiences, the great news is that projectors in general are decreasing in size while image quality continues to rise.
The newest lightweight projectors are under 4 pounds and use arc-bulbs that can last up to 2,000 hours. The NEC Corporation, for example, offers the NP60, which puts out a 100-inch diagonal image that is clearly visible even when all of the lights in the room are on.
For more information on the latest products and pricing for portable projectors, go to The Little Projectors That Pack A Punch.
Weighing just 1.5 pounds and using L.E.D.s that last about 10,000 hours, Samsung's Pocket Imager SP-P310MEMX is an example of the latest in projector technology. "Pocket projectors" cast a smaller image than the usual arc-lamp projectors but are perfect for giving presentations outside of conference rooms (as long as there is a nearby wall available) and prove much more effective than three or four people huddling around a laptop screen to see PowerPoint slides.
Should you want to use the pocket projector for movie watching or gaming, the image--though smaller--appears just as crisp as those cast from full-size projectors, according to the experience of Annie Eisenberg of the New York Times. In addition, the L.E.D.s require no cooling fan so less background noise is created by the projector itself.
For sales people who must travel with their own projectors capable of generating a larger image for larger audiences, the great news is that projectors in general are decreasing in size while image quality continues to rise.
The newest lightweight projectors are under 4 pounds and use arc-bulbs that can last up to 2,000 hours. The NEC Corporation, for example, offers the NP60, which puts out a 100-inch diagonal image that is clearly visible even when all of the lights in the room are on.
For more information on the latest products and pricing for portable projectors, go to The Little Projectors That Pack A Punch.
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