What a year – thanks for being here!
We had twice as many unique users back in the REO days, so I’m glad the 2018 count was fairly steady compared to last year:
Bubbleinfo 2018 blog posts: 974
Bubbleinfo TV JimtheRealtor YouTube videos: 110
Bubbleinfo Plans for 2019:
I appreciate you being here – stay tuned!
We hope you enjoy a fantastic day with your families on Thanksgiving!
If you are sitting around the dinner table and real estate comes up, have your family and friends plug into this part-time blogger – it’s easy!
The Bubbleinfo mobile app is available at the App Store and Google Play, and I fixed them so you can now leave blog comments via the mobile app too.
All blog posts can be seen on Facebook too:
https://www.facebook.com/bubbleinfo/
The twitter account doesn’t include every blog post, but I re-tweet other pertinent real estate topics. Those can also been seen in the right-hand column here too >>>.
https://twitter.com/Bubbleinfo
I appreciate you being here – Happy Thanksgiving!
I started this blog on a Saturday morning in September, 2005 with a free account on Squarespace. Donna said, “Just don’t spend too much time on it”.
I don’t know how many blog posts were on the Squarespace account – a few hundred – but this is the 7,500 blog post since I switched to WordPress.
Other stats:
7,500 Blog posts
62,021 Blog comments
1,019,432 Visitors in the last ten years (including bots)
8,450 Tweets
2,588 YouTubes
2,215,275 YouTube views:
(the Watch time didn’t start until 2012)
The transition from a foreclosure-video website to a general real estate format has been challenging, and I’m thankful to have an audience.
I appreciate you being here!
Thank you to those who comment – you add texture and perspective to the content that makes it much more valuable to all readers. Hat tip to Gary (daytrip) who has supplied much/most of the outside content and colorful commentary – and I only use about half of each!
There are no ads here, and no paid blog posts by outsiders. I try to keep the blog focused on the most relevant, useful topics of the day to assist the reader with their real estate education. I want to be your realtor – what you see here is just a sample of what I can do to help you. I appreciate the blog readers who have allowed me to help them buy and sell houses – THANK YOU!
Monthly blog views:
Our long-time reader (and California transplant) Susie is moving into a new home in Boise, Idaho. She has been preparing to put her current Boise home on the market, and expected the RV garage would help propel the sale.
Here is her report:
Sales have slowed here (How could they not?) but still only 1.2 months of inventory. Putting my home on market for $399,900. Comp across the street went pending at $428,900. ( New 4/2.5, 2,250 SF with bay RV garage).
I only have 1,971 SF. My agent Luke said from $399,900 to $415k, up to me. I should be only single level w/40-ft RV garage on market. Eleven on market comparable. Hoping for multiple offers, (always on my RE bucket list), but w/ kids already back at school, I dunno.
The results:
1. Listed house Friday for $399,900.
2. 1st showing that night: 7-7:30 pm.
3. 2nd showing scheduled for Monday afternoon as they left town for holiday.
4. My agent Luke asked if Sunday showing was ok as they came home early.
5. My beloved neighbors said we could hang out in their backyard next door during showings as Moosh (my cat) gets sick in cars.
6. Sunday showing lasted from 5:30-6:30 pm.
7. Luke called yesterday morning: “You called it! Offer came in!”
8. Luke said he’s never had it happen this quick with only the second showing (100’s of transactions).
9. Ridiculously clean offer: List price, no contingencies.
10. We move to new home October 5th.
The photographs were stunning, and I staged it as well as I could.
Sometimes life works out perfectly, just as you projected. 🙂
She wanted to have a smooth transition and not have to worry about a softer market – and she had her price reflect it!
When I first started selling homes, most brokerages were mom & pop offices on the local corner. Man, how times have changed.
Now, venture capital is flooding the industry, and some outsiders flush with cash are trying to convince you that cheaper is better – without describing the services provided, other than to call it ‘full service’, making it sound sufficient.
Consumers deserve a legitimate full-service option.
They deserve the option to choose a company who hires full-service agents and then supports them with modern, high-tech resources to deliver an unparalleled consumer experience.
Compass is committed to full-service realtors – and is working with $800 million in venture capital to build the team, and provide the high-tech support.
Starting today, we are affiliating with Compass to improve our services and build our presence using their agent resources.
I did not sell my company to Compass; instead we are a branch office with our same address, phone numbers, blog, etc.
The reasons:
Compass is backed by Goldman Sachs, SoftBank and others, and is hiring full-service realtors and brokerages throughout the country. The goal is to have 20% market share in the top 20 cities by 2020.
My ultimate goal has always been to create a full-service brokerage that the kids can take over. Teaming up with Compass looks like the best way to improve our brand and build a practice for the future!
The 2018 list of the Best Real Estate Blogs is out:
Link to ListAnother San Diego realtor, Gavin Grant, was also featured, and on his blog he laid out his formula for determining the best time to sell your house. By his calculation (Pendings/Actives) in each of the last three years, the best time to sell your house was in March!
Link to Gavin’s postI have said in the past that the best time to sell is in May, and his counts show the most actual pendings then. But there are also more active listings too, so the competition nearby could affect your chances.
My Tips On When To Sell:
Get Good Help!
Those who took in the pro golf and spectacular weather at Torrey Pines today also saw a number of paragliders in the background. It reminded me of our reader Murph checking out the bluff-front houses:
Here’s how he described his close calls:
During my “formative” flying days (about 3 years ago) I had quite a reputation at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Some of my hair-raising moments included……..
**I was losing lift and trying to make it back to the gliderport, but could not make it so I had to land at Black’s beach. This is rather routine as you just aim for a dry section of sand. Well, as I was rounding a bend and setting up for a final *flare* to land I realized that it was high tide and that particular section of beach did not exist anymore! I landed in 4 feet of water and began a mad panic to unclip my gear before the waves sucked me and my wing back out to sea.
Never have I been so happy to see a middle aged nude guy, as he raced into the surf and held onto my paraglider so I could extricate myself!
**Once while flying over the Torrey Pines Reserve area the wind got too strong and I landed traveling BACKWARDS on the north side of Torrey Pines Rd with my wing draped over a tree. The lifeguards showed up and left when I told them I was uninjured. 15 minutes later I started hearing lots of sirens. They started getting louder and before I knew it there were 4 emergency vehicles there. I told them I was okay so they all left….including a hook and ladder truck that COULD HAVE helped me get my wing out of the tree, but hey…I was alive AND unhurt so no worries here!
** My alternative landing stories also include one where I was trying to fly with the big-boys above Scripps aquarium. In my attempt to make it back to the lift-band along the cliffs I sunk-out and had to land right on La Jolla Shores Dr. Fortunately for me a construction truck not only yielded, but even gave me a ride back to the gliderport!
Luckily I have never hurt myself or anyone else. Torrey Pines is actually a very safe paragliding site……as long as you stay within your comfort zone and fly smart. The more I fly the more conservative I get. My library of noteworthy “stories” has not expanded in the last couple years.
We are #20 on the list of San Diego’s Top 50 Blogs!
Our final tally for 2017:
809 Bubbleinfo blog posts.
55,000+ unique visitors.
4,000+ comments
160 YouTube videos, and 1,559 hours of viewing!
One of my favorite videos about bidding wars:
Thank you everyone – have a great 2018!
A few photos of the original condition, and our follow-up:
LINK to realtor.com listing.
Are you looking for an experienced agent to help you buy or sell a home?
Contact Jim the Realtor!
CA DRE #01527365, CA DRE #00873197
