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Housing recovery to occur in fits and starts | North Salem NY Real Estate
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Tag Archives: North Salem NY Realtor
North Salem 2012 Sales Up 76% – Prices drop 7.8% | RobReportBlog
North Salem 2012 Sales Up 76% – Prices drop 7.8% | RobReportBlog
North Salem NY Sales 2012 2011 46 Sales 26 76.92% UP $472,500.00 Median Price $512,500.00 7.80% DOWN $125,000.00 Low Price $147,500.00 $2,600,000.00 High Price $6,480,000.00 2762 Ave. Size 3545 $224.00 Ave. Price/foot $280.00 238 Ave. DOM 244 93.04% Ave. Sold/Ask 92.66% $639,674.00 Ave. Sold Price $1,188,035.00
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North Salem NY Real Estate | 23 Top Tips to Make Your Blog Posts More Conversational
Let’s face it; most blog posts that are currently being put out are simply b-o-r-i-n-g.
Dull. Unexciting. A big fail when it comes to keeping our attention.
The blogger is writing about a worthwhile topic no doubt, but the writing does nothing for the reader. It fails to engage, or draw you in. Even when you are supposed to be paying attention, you really aren’t. You keep on thinking about what else is out there. Your mind is wandering.
The writer is unable to form a connection and you end up clicking away. Hardly surprising, is it?
A tiny number of people are getting it right, though. They open their posts with a bang. They are spot on with their calls to action. Before you know it, you have read every single word and you wonder what happened to logging off for the day.
People like Jon Morrow, and Sonia Simone, and Darren himself. They are masters of engagement. They are talking directly to you. Only you.
How on earth do they do it? How do they make you stay put even though your pots are boiling over and your kids are screaming for dinner? Turns out they have quite a few tricks up their sleeves.
Let’s take a look, shall we?
Write like you talk—only better
You have probably heard this advice before, but we will take it up a notch here. Dig a little deeper. What does exactly it mean to write like you talk?
1. The most important word in blogging is “you”
Address you audience. Imagine you are sitting across the table from a really close friend, and write your post for them. You are allowed ask rhetorical questions, but cut down on ums and ahs. It makes for poor talking and appalling writing.
2. Mirror their responses
Say things like, “so you feel like nobody’s paying attention …” or “I know crafting effective calls to action can be really hard.”
What have your readers been telling you? Use some of their language to reflect that you are paying attention.
3. Use contractions
Some people hardly ever use any. They stay proper, but that’s not how you talk to a friend. Use don’t, isn’t, it’s. Make it less stilted. Make it flow better and sound like human speech.
4. Be bold with exclamatory phrases
By this, I mean things like “Oh no!” and “Holy cow!”
Psst! Watch some reality TV or reporting shows. See how they keep you glued to the set with exclamations.
5. Ignore your high school English teacher—within reason
Your old English teacher was right when she told you to choose the right word, make it vivid and interesting and add adjectives to your prose.
This is not something you should mess with. You can, however, get away with breaking some rules of grammar. You just need to know which.
5. Use fragments
Like this one. Believe it or not, it is fine to use them even if you are not actually saying them out loud.
6. Start your sentences with a preposition
But that is not grammatically correct, you say. Well, this is one of those rules.
7. Stay away from adverbs
On most occasions that add nothing to your writing. Most of them are redundant like scream loudly, sigh sadly. Use sparingly.
8. Don’t be afraid to use a bit of slang, but don’t go overboard
Dig?
9. Use exclamation points when necessary
Cut back on the usage though. Dramatically.
10. Write at an eighth-grade reading level
Reader’s Digest does it. So can you. Keep it simple.
11. Avoid being formal
Instead of saying however, moreover, or furthermore, say but, so, or then. We are aiming for conversational here. Get a dialogue going.
12. Avoid jargon
Corporate lingo, marketing speak, gobbledygook. Call it what you want, if it is unintelligible, it has no business being there.
13. Use short words
Leave the thesaurus alone. Stephen King suggests picking the first word that comes to mind (in most cases). That’s gold.
14. Don’t be wordy
Notice how eyes begin to glaze over when it happens in face-to-face conversations?
Same is the case in the virtual world. Keep it tight; nobody likes people who ramble.
15. Don’t use the passive voice
Consider these options:
- A decision was made vs. I decided.
- Your email has been received vs. we have received your email.
- Your response is appreciated vs. we appreciate your response.
Which sounds better? You decide (or, it has to be decided by you)!
16. Avoid monologue (keep paragraphs short)
You are not really having a conversation, we get it, but does it have to come across like a lecture? Keep your paragraphs short. Talk to readers, not at them. Don’t preach.
17. Forget about being politically correct
“He or she” is fine. Nobody will say anything, I promise.
18. Show off your personality
Pretend you are writing an email to a close friend. What’s different about this writing? It’s more authentic, more genuine, more you.
19. Don’t use words that you won’t use while talking
Is it something you’d say to somebody’s face? If not, it might be a good idea to skip it.
20. Use phrases that only you would use
Put your unique stamp on all your writing.
21. Ask hard-to-answer questions
Exercise tough love. Make their brains hurt!
22. Watch your tone
Snarky, inspirational, flippant, self-deprecating, tough … how do you want to come across? Carry it throughout your piece. Be consistent.
23. Take a stand
Say what you mean. What’s the point otherwise?
You are writing for the most important person there is—your reader. Do you want to be clever or engaging? The choice is yours.
via problogger.net
$88M Penthouse Tops NYC’s 2012 Real Estate Deals | North Salem Real Estate
$88M Penthouse Tops NYC’s 2012 Real Estate Deals | North Salem Real Estate
Check out this website I found at bloomberg.com
Buyer recourse for returning termites? | North Salem Real Estate
DEAR BARRY: When I bought my home 12 years ago, the seller disclosed that she had no knowledge of any termites. Last week, I discovered evidence of termites, so I called a pest inspector and he found plugged holes in the slab floor where termicide was injected years ago. This means that the former owner lied on her disclosure statement. What can I do to hold her liable for the cost of exterminating the termites that are now in my home? –Julianna
DEAR JULIANNA: There is no way to have recourse after 12 years, even if the disclosure statement was less than honest. The seller, in fact, may have been totally honest in her disclosures, believing that the termites at that time had been eliminated by the termicide that was injected through the slab.
If termites are common in your area, a termite inspection should have been performed when you were buying the property. If there were live termites in the home at that time, that should have been reported by the inspector. If none were reported, the seller’s disclosure was probably correct. If termites have reappeared in the intervening years, that is not surprising or unusual.
Again, 12 years is too late for recourse. If you have a new batch of termites, simply have them treated. Once every 12 years isn’t bad.
DEAR BARRY: We bought our home, an old ranch house, about 10 years ago. Recently, while remodeling the interior, we discovered that the well and holding tank are hidden in the wall between the kitchen and bathroom. The building inspector says this is not to code and has put a hold on the project. We hired a home inspector before buying the property, but he never reported this condition. How could this have passed the home inspection? –Joyce
DEAR JOYCE: The most likely reason the well and holding tank were missed by the home inspector is that they were concealed between the walls. Unless there was some visible evidence, there may have been no way for the inspector to make that discovery. On the other hand, a competent home inspector would have attempted to verify the water source, if only by checking for a shutoff valve on the outside of the building.
However, the unusual placement of the well and tank indicates that this is a very old home. If that is the case, their location should be “grandfathered” and should not become an issue with the building authority. If the building inspector will not relent, you should discuss the matter with an attorney.
DEAR BARRY: We just converted our hall closet to a laundry, but we’re not sure where to vent the dryer. Can the exhaust duct from a gas dryer be connected to a sewer vent? –Roy
DEAR ROY: Connecting a clothes dryer to a sewer vent is not safe or legal because sewer gases contain methane, the same gas as in your stove, furnace and water heater. If sewer gas vents into your dryer duct and is ignited, you might not like the way your laundry comes out.
via inman.com
October Pending Home Sales | North Salem Real Estate
Branding Your Blog: You’re Doing it All Wrong | North Salem Real Estate
A while ago, on this very blog, I read a post about how to make a five-dollar logo for your blog.
There were a few things about that post I disagreed with, but chief among them was the assumption that a cheap logo was somehow all you needed to brand your blog.
A logo does not make a brand.
Logos are important, but what’s most important is to have a crystal clear brand promise. This is important in every line of business, particularly in blogging, where competition is brutal and securing a loyal readership is the only way to make your overnight success last more than a few days.
Your brand promise should be felt in every single post
The most important part of your brand is largely invisible—at least, at first.
It’s the promise you make to a visitor the first time you meet.
It is more than just a half-hearted promise to try and be interesting and entertaining. It is a promise to deliver a specific and predictable result every time.
Whether you commit to always making your reader laugh out loud or go into deep thought, to giving her investment advice she can act on immediately, or a gluten-free recipe that her children will like, your brand is the one aspect of your blog or business that people can always trust that you will never compromise on.
Don’t try to do everything yourself
It should be said that DIY brands rarely look as good, or work as well, as the owners think they do. On the contrary, 100% homemade brands often look unprofessional and unreliable.
Unless you’re an expert marketer, designer, copywriter, and web developer in addition to your day job, there are lots of things you don’t know and skills you don’t have. You should admit that to yourself, and invest in some outside expertise. It doesn’t have to break the bank. You can pick one area and start there, but please do make building your brand a priority.
It’s what sets you apart, helps readers quickly understand what you are about, and creates loyal followers.
If you really only have $5 to spend
If you really don’t have more than $5 to spend on design, you’ll be better off spending your fiver at Starbucks. After all, you’re not very likely to get a good logo and visual identity for that kind of money.
So sit down with your grande latte and your free wifi, and be sure to take in your surroundings, because there aren’t many who do brand as well as Starbucks.
What’s special about Starbucks is not just the coffee. It’s that they stand for way more than that. Their brand promise is about community and you can feel that in every single touchpoint, from the comfy chairs, to the online community.
Think about how your brand can show (not tell) what it stands for, like Starbucks does. Even if you exist only in the online world, the types of topics you cover, the products you offer, and the other blogs you link to all serve to create an impression for your brand.
Color can be a great differentiator
Another thing you can learn from Starbucks is the effective use of color. You can see that green from miles away, and instantly recognize the store as a Starbucks.
So take a few minutes to pick a fresh color scheme for your brand. Something that really makes you stand out in your space. Your colors shouldn’t conflict with the promise you’ve made—for example, a site promising inner peace and a site promising playfulness should probably choose different colors—but that’s the only rule.
Almost everything is allowed, and bravery is usually rewarded.
Start out with a single, strong color you’d like to use, then use a tool like Kuler to find other colors that go well with it.
Ideally, you’ll put together a palette of colors that is uniquely yours, instantly recognizable to anyone who knows it, and that you can find ways to implement on your blog, across your social media properties, and in your product designs, both online and offline. Be creative.
Watch your tone of voice
It’s no coincidence that Starbucks has its own language (including words like barrista, grande, frappe, and so on.). This vocabulary helps support the brand’s promise that this is not your run-of-the-mill coffee shop.
Think about your blog’s tone of voice. Is it authentic, distinctive, and consistent? Are you falling into the trap of over-complicating things with big, boring words, and overused jargon? Are you conveying your personality and making it easy for people to understand what you are offering and why they should care?
There is a lot of brand power in the way we say things, not just in what we say. Have someone else look at each of your posts before it goes up and make sure you are choosing words wisely. We all know how hard it is to edit our own work.
Invest in your brand—with money, time, and creativity
Now, these are some quick tips. There’s a lot more to learn about brand. But the key message is that it’s always a good idea to invest in your brand. If you don’t have the money to invest, at least invest the time and energy to learn, and the thought and creativity to do a good job with what you have.
How’s your brand looking? Share your ideas for blog branding in the comments.
Julie Cottineau is former VP of Brand at Virgin and executive at Interbrand. Recently she founded her own brand consultancy, BrandTwist, to help small businesses and entrepreneurs, and will soon launch Brand School, an online course about building, growing and monetizing a brand.
via problogger.net
The 3 Worst Ways Companies Waste Money in Social Media | North Salem NY Real Estate
4 Advanced Targeting Techniques Every Facebook Advertiser Should Master | North Salem NY Real Estate
via blog.hubspot.com
Home Depot delivers latest upbeat housing signals | North Salem NY Real Estate
Thirty-three of the company’s top 40 markets posted positive same-store sales. Its northeastern region was the main one in which some markets saw negative sales.
While the company continued to see demand for maintenance and repair projects, a positive sign also emerged in sales of higher-priced items. The number of customer transactions rose 1.7%, while the average transaction amount rose 2.9% to $54.55, marking a sixth straight quarter of transaction and ticket growth.
While customer transactions — or “tickets” — under $50, representing approximately 20% of Home Depot’s U.S. sales, were flat, transactions over $900, also about one-fifth of U.S. sales, were up 4.3%, driven by demand for appliances, flooring and in-stock kitchens.
Analysts have said a recovery in bigger-ticket items offers a view into consumers’ willingness to shell out beyond basic repair needs. Blake said the company’s windows business, hard hit during the economic downturn, also has seen a return to growth.
“Customers are beginning to be willing to step in and do the decor projects,” Blake said on the call. See story on Home Depot’s e-commerce strategy.
Sandy impact
Home Depot, which saw demand rise as consumers readied for Hurricane Sandy, said recovery and rebuilding efforts will positively impact its sales — to an extent comparable to the aftermath of last year’s Hurricane Irene, with possible upside because of the bigger property damage estimated to have resulted from Sandy. The Home Depot executives, however, are uncertain about the timing of that impact. The company said consumers buying batteries, flashlights, generators and extension cords ahead of Sandy buttressed third-quarter sales by about $70 million.