Margaret Rome's Blog

TRACofMD also known as The Realtor's Auction Company is designed for real estate agents. The listings are extended by four months, seller's pay no commissions, closing costs, and are able to settle in as little as 30 days.   

The very first  of the Purple signs are up in the Baltimore Area.  To check dates, times, terms or to find out more details you can call the number or check out the website. More homes being added daily. Let us know when you see purple.

The word "getaway" can mean anything from a Caribbean cruise to a week at a spa. For some people it can include total relaxation and pampering, for others it’s an action-packed "what's next?" kind of time.

A getaway for me means options. If I want to be still (though that is really hard to do) and just relax, that's what I'll do. Or if I want to be outside and more active, then that's what I'll do. I need choices. A condominium that I can rent for a couple of nights or a long weekend – that's my starting place.

If that sounds like you, then here's your spot…just 90 minutes away from Baltimore. Picture a completely furnished retreat in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania. This is not one of your rustic roughing-it places; this one has granite countertops, two LCD televisions with cable, and wireless access in the nearby lodge. A private pool, tennis courts, and spa are available of your enjoyment. During the winter, you can ski from and to your door. When the land is green instead of white, you are five minutes from the four-star Whitetail Golf Resort.

But as they say, that's not all. This condo getaway has a feature that no other can offer – original photographic artwork by world-renowned nature photographer, Alma Schuster-Nugent. Her exquisite photos adorn walls throughout, and help bring the beautiful outdoors inside.

I have no stake in having this condo rented other than satisfaction. The owner, John Vargo, is a young man beginning to invest in real estate who also happens to be my personal trainer. I'm really proud of John and want to see him successful with this property.

So next time you need a getaway from the mid-Atlantic madness, think "Only 90 minutes from Baltimore…."

  www.HomeRome.com                           

It was a Treo-full day at GBBR. And when it was over, every agent who attended the SmartPhone Smart User seminar had a new bag of tips and tricks for using the indispensable tool of our trade. 

The guru of mobile devices, Dick Betts, led the seminar that focused on Windows and Palm-based Treos. He also talked about the Blackberry and iPhone, but there was no question that for real estate, the Treo rules. With this one device, you have a phone, calendar, calculator, computer, camera, email, iPod, and more, all in the palm of your hand.

Most of the class already had Treos, there were a few Blackberry owners and one iPhone, plus some who were there to help decide which to buy. Dick left no doubt that he's a Treo fan, and pointed out that it's hard to find a function that other phones offer that the Treo doesn't do.

We all came out of the class with new information, like how to rescue an almost drowned Treo. If you accidentally drop it in water – which Treos do not like – immediately remove the battery and use a hair dryer to get rid of the water. When it looks dry, place it in a box of rice overnight. After a good night's drying rest, your Treo should be ready to work again.

With so much good information, it's hard to pick favorites, but here are my top five tips from the seminar:

1. Graffiti. A long time ago I used a Palm PDA v5 and then an i705, and loved the graffiti feature. When I switched to the SmartPhone I could never get it work. But yesterday Dick beamed the program to my Treo and even set it up for me – yes! I have Graffiti again! That alone was worth the whole day. To top it off, I found this page on the Palm site with more on Graffiti. http://www.palm.com/us/support/handbooks/graffiti2_tips.pdf

2. Calculator. Much more than simple arithmetic is available on the calculator. There are multiple functions, and you can even run an adding machine tape!

3. PdaNet. You can use your Treo anywhere as a modem for your PC with PdaNet software, and save the $50 to $80 monthly fees for wireless service. It's slower, but the price is right.

4. Add a name and number to your Calendar – quickly. You're stopped at a traffic light and a friend wants to schedule a lunch date. Here's the quick and easy way to update your calendar:  Select day and time, select Options, select Phone Look Up, find the person, and click Add. You're done.

5. "Ignore" nicely. Did you know that when you hit the "Ignore" button, the person calling may be  aware of that? There is a way to change it – you just push the buttons on the side. Sooo simple!

Dick Betts has a lot of tips on his site – check them out at  http://tinyurl.com/ywvzhz. Dick is an NAR certified e-Pro trainer, and we were glad to have him share his expertise with the group. As for me, I'm delighted to have my Graffiti back!