If you look over to your right, you’ll see a block of four paid advertisement spots (assuming you aren’t reading this via RSS or Email of course. If you are, please click through).
I have no doubt that some out there in the REBC (Real Estate Blogging Community), aka the “RE.net”, will be appalled, and thoughts of “shill”, “sell out” and “non-purist” will arise along with the bile in their throats.
I’m not a big fan of advertisements spread all over a blog. I’ve seen blogs that have ads across the header, down the sidebar, in the footer, inside posts, in the comment fields and in the RSS feed. There are even ways to put pop-up adds inside sentences via contextual ads. And I’ve seen some using all of the above. To me, that is too much and carries it a bit too far.
On the other hand, who the heck am I to say someone is wrong to monetize their blog however they see fit?
So yeah, we’ve now got some advertising spots. I could try to justify it by pointing out all the hundreds of thousands of other blogs and web sites that carry advertising. But I’m not all that concerned with what others do, and have always found the, “but everyone else is doing it” argument weak (just ask my teenagers).
Honestly though, I’m not sure I need to justify it. It is, after all, my blog.
But, it’s also your blog in many ways. I do sincerely thank and appreciate every single reader of this blog. And I care what each and every reader of this blog thinks. Unless there is an uproar against the ads here, they will stay. I’d love to hear your honest and brutal opinions. Are ads on a blog good, bad, or indifferent to you? Why? (especially wondering why if you are strongly opposed to them)
So let me have it in the comments (or the contact form if you’re not comfortable expressing your opinion in public).
And thanks in advance!
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According to a study from the Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business, the “ASU-RSI” (ASU Repeat Sales Index) average home prices in the Phoenix metro area dropped 13% year-over-year in March.
This is the first double-digit “ever” (ever is a really long time. I suspect it’s the first double digit decline in this metric’s history — I’m trying to determine how long that is, and/or what Professor Karl Guntermann considers “ever”).
The ASU-RSI is very similar to the fairly widely known S&P/Case-Schiller Index. Both track repeat sales of the same home over different periods of time. It’s thought by many that using repeat sales is a more reliable method of monitoring market changes as in effect, it is comparing “apples to apples”.
I spoke at some length yesterday with Misty Williams, the real estate reporter for the East Valley Tribune for her article on this story. (Always a pleasure Misty!.) Much of our discussion centered around the impact of REO (bank owned) properties and their impact on the Phoenix real estate market. I hadn’t read Guntermann’s analysis yet, but it looks we do agree that REOs continue to drag down prices. But as I said to Misty, we’ve seen increased buyer activity, and their is no question that REO properties are beginning to move much more swiftly than they were just a short time ago. Aggressive bank pricing and multiple offers are the norm now in many situations.
The $50,000 dollar question is and remains, how long will this last? Yes, buyers are coming into the market. But there is still a ton of short sale and REO inventory out there. Until some of that inventory bleeds off, buyers will still be clamoring for and maintaining the (unrealistic)perception of getting the short sale or REO property for pennies on the dollar.
Fortunately, as difficult as it is, sellers seem to be getting more realistic about the current conditions. We’re seeing far fewer ridiculously over-priced listings, and not every buyer wants an REO or has the patience and fortitude to put up with the crap lenders consistently spew on short sales. This market will correct. It may just be awhile. Personally, I think we will continue to see price declines through the remainder of the year, and a leveling through next year before returning to a more normal gradual appreciation rate.
And I reserve the right to be completely wrong.
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In my freshman year at UT, I actually drove through Mesquite, Texas on the way to Tyler to meet some girl (way, WAY pre-Francy days). Back then, it was a sleepy little town on the outskirts of east Dallas. Looks like in the passing years, Dallas has pretty much assimilated it.
Apparently there was an elementary school built there in 1995:
What does this have to do with real estate?
Absolutely nothing.
I just thought it was funny. You, oh avid reader, probably not-so-much.
Now if we could just get a school named “Phoenix Real Estate Guy Elementary”, we’d be rockin’!
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In a post yesterday, I apologized to those site visitors who were using IE6 to browse Phoenix Real Estate Guy. The new theme I put in place and IE6 weren’t playing together nicely.
A couple of folks swiftly offered to help. I really didn’t want to bother anyone, but the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me.
Enter Justin McHood. Justin is a local Phoenix lender who I first met at a blogging seminar I held a couple of weeks ago. He and his wife Tammy are super nice people.
Justin said he knew a “WP expert/hard core developer” that could help me out.
Along comes Connor Boyack with Muzungu Designs. I sent Connor my theme files and he took, oh, maybe 10 minutes to debug and send me the revised code.
Problem solved.
I can’t vouch for the specific work of Muzungu (though the samples on the site look fabulous), but I can tell you Connor was swift, efficient, helpful and an all around nice guy. I suspect his (vastly) more complicated work is met in the same way.
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Damn it. I hate hearing things like this…
One of the great guys in the “RE.net” is sick, in the ICU, and as is true of many inthis industry, has no medical insurance.
From a post by Max Chirkov, WHICH INCLUDES A DONATION LINK:
Charles Richey, has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome and is currently in the ICU at the University Medical Center (UMC) in Las Vegas.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome: (GBS) (pronounced “ghee-YAN bah-RAY”) is a rare nervous system disorder that results from nerve damage caused by the body’s own immune system, usually in response to an infection or other illness. GBS causes muscle weakness, loss of reflexes, and numbness or tingling in the arms, legs, face, and other parts of the body. It can even progress to complete paralysis. GBS is the most common medical cause of paralysis that develops over days to weeks.
Fortunately, Charles has already begun treatment. On a positive note, most patients diagnosed with GBS recover with no residual side effects or complications after treatment - but this is going to take some time.
I “met” Charles and his wife Jacqui through the user forums at Point2Agent and found Charles to be incredibly giving of his time and expertise. Now would be a good time to “pay it forward”. I know times are hard for lots of folks in this business. Bit literally every single nickle helps. Please dig deep and DONATE if you can.
You can read more details at Max’s post.
Charles is very active at the ActiveRain network, and Caleb Mardini has a post there as well.
Here’s a forum thread where you can see what a lot of people think of Charles.
Advanced Access has posted as well. Charles and Jacqui used to, USED TO, have an Advanced Access site. They moved on, but AA is trying to help. Think about that; it speaks volumes for the kind of guy Charles is. (edited to add: Speaks volumes about Advanced Access too…)
Godspeed Charles, you are in our thoughts and prayers.
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