Margaret Rome's Blog

1. 5 Wake Forest Court College Hills Catonsville, Maryland 21228 3 Bedrooms 3 Full Baths 1 Half Bath $424,944 a home that is in immaculate move in condition ! private gardens lush landscaping and views of trees! to enjoy breakfast and coffee on your private deck ! to have space to get away on your private patio! the luxury of gleaming inlaid hardwood floors! all of this with maintenance free living! having 2 gas fireplaces ! a two level recreation room with wet bar and refrigerator! having an entertaining area and plenty of room for guests! having a 3rd full bath in the lower level! a bright gourmet kitchen with breakfast room ! cathedral ceilings ceiling fans and a skylight! warm gas heat and Central Air! having TWO master bedrooms! a whirlpool tub and separate shower ! the convenience of a garage! all of this with maintenance free living ! a convenient location! Baltimore County location is so convenient. This luxury garage townhome is located within walking distance of Catonsville Community College and the beauty of Patapsco State Park. Just minutes from Baltimore Beltway 695 and I 95 French door from the living and dining room French door from the living and dining room Inviting living room with gas fireplace. Spacious kitchen with adjacent breakfast room. Tile backsplash, corner sink and breakfast bar. New side by side refrigerator next to the microwave and stove. Master bedroom with oversized windows and cathedral ceilings. Luxury Master Bath with views of the Patapsco State Park. Shower or jacuzzi? Take your pick! The views from the deck of are Patapsco State Park. Need a second master bedroom. This generous room has it's own full bath! Bright 3rd Bedroom now used as an office. 2nd bathroom with dual entry and pocket door. Brick and cedar garage townhome Notice the deck and level patio area. From upstairs another look at those gleaming hardwoods. A beautiful flower seen from the patio. The first floors boasts inlaid hardwood floors. Look how it accents the marble fireplace. Front proch entry with gleaming hardwood floors. Did you notice the stained glass sidelight? One of my favorite spaces, the round window nook upstairs. College Hills sign as you enter this community of 44 homes Up stairs 2nd bathroom Full bath for guest suite in the lower level Bright lower level for easy entertaining. Gas fireplace. This home has 2 fireplaces Landscaped and open spaces are seen from the patio 2 level family room with wet bar and space for exercize equipment Gas fireplace and sliding glass door to level patio.   email: mrome@homerome.com

I have to share the amazing experience I had working with Marti Garaughty to design the cover for my new book, Real Estate the Rome Way. The book cover really is the art of marketing you – it's one of the most important parts of making your book something people want to pick up and read. It had to be special – my first book (there will be more!) and the first book for The Silloway Press. And with Marti's first book cover design it is a winning combination that I hope will be a tremendous success for all of us.

It was absolutely beautiful how the artist, author, and publisher all worked together. The author brought the vision of something very different from the standard "business book" type cover. The artist translated her vision into reality. And the publisher provided the technical requirements on size and color coding. Within only a few days from concept to reality we had a master page for the cover. I feel so fortunate that I was able to pick up the phone, talk to Marti and that he was so receptive to doing this. We were both excited with this new project - a first for all of us. Sound like Type E? You bet...big time!

You can see how all this relates to real estate. It was a long time ago when I first saw Marti's art and admired it on Active Rain, before I actually contacted him to do something for me. How long do you think people need to see your signs, ads, logos, your face before they contact you? Could be years until they are ready.

Everything with Marti has been very much like real estate and advertising. When I first saw Marti's work on Active Rain, one of the pieces that I liked so much was the violin with the ball in it. I thought, "What a creative and unusual piece that is!" I thought about ordering a piece for my grandson (he plays the cello), but since it was a violin it wasn't really appropriate for him. So the year went by, I still looked at Marti's art work, and then when I was doing the book, it clicked.

I had tried to design the cover with my publisher. I knew the look I wanted but couldn't get it out, and then it hit me to call Marti Garaughty and tell him, "I have a project - would you be interested?" He asked, "How soon do you need it?" I said, "Day before yesterday!" That was on a Friday, and by Sunday we were close to a finished book cover. 

When I created custom ceramics for people, I would have them look at my work to see which of my pieces they liked and which of my textures, shapes, sizes, and colors they were geared towards. Then I would go to their homes to see where they wanted to place my pieces. The ideas flowed from there. 

Marti followed the same method with me – he asked what I liked so I wrote a long email telling him I like squares, I like the color brown, I like textures, I like angles, and included a full page of what I like about his work. Then when he sent two designs to me I was able to pick up the phone and say, "I really love this, I really love that, but could we darken this cube can, can we lighten this, could we make this more texture, could I change that color, could we change this circle?" I gave him the opportunity make something fabulous and he flew with it. He understood what I meant…just like when we really listen to clients and understand their needs. Every step of working with Marti was fast, clear, and a great example of the best communication using email and phone conversations.

How long do you think buyers and sellers need to see your name, hear your name, look at your website, your yard sign, your ads? They don't call the first time they see it or the second time or the third or the fourth or the fifth. It is long term that your name and your face and what you're doing in the community need to be out there. People don't even remember when they first saw you, how they first saw you, but you have to keep in front of people and that's what Marti has done. Look at how he has stayed in front of Active Rain, look at how Marti has created a group called the Art of Marketing You. I can't think of a better title for what Marti does; his artwork on my book - that is marketing me.

www.HomeRome.com

One of the best parts of any national event, like the NAR Midyear Meeting in Washington, DC, last week, is getting together with people we don't see often enough during the year. Thursday afternoon my friend and first teacher, Anne Hruby, and I went to the trade show where we manned – or womaned – the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council (REBAC) booth for a while. Along the way, we saw some friendly and familiar faces: The author and Rainmaker Dan Gooder Richard with his wife and partner, Synnove; and Allen Hainge, mastermind of the CyberStars® and fellow CyberStar Andy Norton; we all had fun playing with our new flip video cameras.

After an afternoon of walking the show we headed back to the WCR hotel, the Capital Hilton, to have dinner with a great group of friends from across the country. In addition to me and Anne from Baltimore, we enjoyed visiting with Joeann Fossland and Fran Thorsen from Arizona, Kristal Kraft and her husband, Larry McGee, from Denver, and my publisher, Peg Silloway, from Columbia, MD. Over a leisurely meal, the conversations ranged from real estate (of course!) to Joeann's coaching programs like No Blogger Left Behind and her teleconference series, Relax and Attract More. Of course, I had to talk a bit about my new book and debuted the cover design of Real Estate the Rome Way.

There was plenty of laughter and we proved that Anne was right when she told the restaurant hostess that we would be the noisy table. After several hours of talking and eating, we headed back to get ready for the next morning's panel. As a perfect ending, Joeann generously presented us with signed copies of her book, the 5^th Anniversary Edition of Conversations on Success.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

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Imagine being in a room with more than 200 motivated Women's Council of Realtors members at 8:45 in the morning. Now put yourself and three others on a panel at the front of the room, there to talk about business development. That's a recipe for enthusiasm, fun, and information sharing.

When Joeann Fossland  (center of the photo with me and Kristal) asked me to be on the panel a couple of months ago, I said "Of course!" without really knowing what was involved. Later I learned that I would be sharing the panel with the remarkable Kristal Kraft and Liz Callihan, and that the moderator would be the national WCR president in 2005, Betty Kincaid.

We had less than two hours that flew by like two minutes. Lots of questions and hours of information to pass on, but so little time before it was over and it was on to the next session. Some of the highlights:

• Liz talked about technology and how everyone is trying to sell us something. She said agents are buying gadgets and wasting money. Liz quoted that famous line, "A fool and his money are soon parted," only in her version it was "A Realtor…" She suggested using free sites like Craig's List for our listings.

• About marketing, Kristal commented that "We real estate agents are in charge of marketing, the seller is in charge of marketability."

• Social networking was brought up, and of course Active Rain as a good example. Kristal and I "met" through The Rain and then at the CyberPros meeting.  Kristal finds Twitter to be very useful for staying in touch and for getting business. But Liz commented: "Twitter - a tremendous time suck."

• We talked about an IDX site and whether to have people sign in to get information. I do not require a sign up anymore than I  insist on getting information over the phone. I will give any and all information about my properties without a name or phone number. Kristal disagrees and does require a sign up. She says this is a good way to capture "real" buyers and to pass them on to other agents.

• We were asked what percentage of our budget we spent on advertising. I had that question first, and said something like, "You are assuming I have a budget! I know my income and purchase items to make me better with clients. " As an example, I demonstrated the new flip video camera that Joanne suggested in one of her newsletters. I bought it as a Mother's Day gift for myself and was taking a video of the audience as I was speaking.

• Another question: "What are you doing to attract buyers to your listings?" In recent months, what's working for me is accelerated marketing through TRAC (The Realtor's Auction Company). It started with the auction of that historic church last year, and now I'm able to offer clients both a traditional listing and an option of taking their home to auction.

• I was ready for this question: "What are you doing to promote yourself?" I just happened to have some postcard-sized handouts for my book, Real Estate the Rome Way,  that will be published in the fall. Stay tuned for more on that exciting project!

It was a fantastic panel and the response from our audience was so enthusiastic. (That's Betty at the podium, with Liz, Kristal, and me from left to right in the photo.) I believe the energy in that room could have powered the entire city of Washington for the whole day!

www.HomeRome.com

Live Baltimore's "Buying Into Baltimore" program offers a $3,000 grant toward settlement costs for buying a home in Baltimore City. There are two homebuying fairs, one for the West side in May and another for the East side in September, and both offer tours of homes available for purchase. The event is produced by the Live Baltimore Home Center and the $3,000 grant is provided by the City of Baltimore. The fairs provide homebuying education opportunities and introduce participants to the variety of Baltimore's neighborhoods and housing styles.

The tours are normally held on Saturdays, and for some buyers that is not a day they can participate. Today, CHAI (Comprehensive Housing Assistance Inc.,) of Baltimore is conducting its annual open house tour of the CHAI neighborhood for prospective homebuyers. This is the only opportunity in 2008 to be eligible by attending a non-Saturday event.

One of the homes on the tour is at 3806 Clarks Lane in Upper Park Heights; it's one of my listings that will be open this evening at 6:15. Please do stop by!

CHAI invites all Prospective Homebuyers to attend its annual OPEN HOUSE TOUR

Monday, May 12, 2008

5:00 - 8:00 PM

at the

Jewish Community Center

5700 Park Heights Ave.

• Come to learn how you can qualify for other loan and grant programs
• Meet with realtors, lenders and other housing professionals
• (Please provide your own transportation)

Click here to see the flyer  (http://tinyurl.com/3u32ke0)  for this event.

Call 410-466-1990 x-0 to register or Email: info@chaibaltimore.org

www.HomeRome.com

In the rain, on a plane, but not in Spain. That's what I said last year when I blogged about unusual places I've signed contracts.

Now I can add negotiating a contract in front of more than 40,000 cheering fans, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Of course, they weren't cheering me. Kenny Chesney brought his "Poets and Pirates" tour to Maryland yesterday, and we were there. The football stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, was transformed into country music central with all the music, lights, and effects of a spectacular "happening." I can't remember when I've seen so many cowboy hats!

I had been negotiating with a buyer for several days, and last night we shared a skybox at the stadium. It was amazing! Fans filled the stadium for the concert that began in the early afternoon and went right through the night. Among the performers was Leanne Rimes who came on about 4:30 and sang my favorite country song – "Ain't got nothing to lose."

As night fell, the music got more intense and exciting, and the lighting and sound effects were spectacular. The temperature outside was delightful in the 60's. Quiet and food were abundant if we decided to stay inside the skybox where we could dine and rest our "older" ears. (With the big screen TVs we didn't miss any of the concert, it was just not as loud.) I couldn't take my laptop into the stadium, but there was one in the box and I used it to negotiate all afternoon and evening in between performances. I told the other agent we had to wrap this deal up before Brooks and Dunn came on stage!

When the concert ended we went back to the buyer's home for signatures and faxing the contract to the selling agent. It's never a sure thing until it's all signed and accepted, but I think we came up with a good deal. And we all had an evening of great music.

Anyone else ever negotiate or sign a contract before 40,000 adoring fans?!

A long time ago, I promised myself I would walk for an hour every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday starting at 8:00 a.m. Most of the time, I do. 

Last week in Pittsburgh, Tim Kinzler and I had a wonderful conversation about the importance of taking care of your health. Of course, we all know that we have to look after ourselves, but how often do we put off exercising because there's a listing to take or a house to show? When the day is going to be busy, it is oh so easy to say, "I'll walk tomorrow." 

Tim is very inspirational, and when we talked at the CyberPros meeting, I told him about my regular walk and said he could call me anytime between 8:00 and 9:00 on those days. I should have known that he'd take me up on it!

This morning the phone rang at 8:15…and I was not walking. But, I was tying up my shoes, and as Tim and I talked, I headed out and walked the whole time we were on the phone. Talking with him gave an extra boost to my step, and added energy to my day. Thanks, Tim!

www.HomeRome.com