Carl Winters Blog, Real Estate Inspector, New Braunfels, Texas

WOW! I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT - I HAVE GONE OVER 20,000 POINTS

THIS IS A MILESTONE FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME THAT CAN HARDLY TYPE MUCH LESS DO THIS BLOGGING BUSINESS.

I almost forgot to say thank you to everyone (you know who you are) that helped me with my blogs. I have really enjoyed working with you, it has been serious at times and also fun at times. Seems like we have a good balance. Thanks again, Carl 

YIPEE!

ISN'T OUR AMERICAN FLAG BEAUTIFUL?

 Labor Day is a United States federal holiday that takes place on the first Monday in September. We will celebrate Labor Day September 3rd, 2007.

Brief History:  The holiday began in 1882, originating from a desire by the Central Labor Union to offer a day off for the "working man". It is still celebrated mainly as a day of rest and marks the symbolic end of summer for many.

We celebrate with backyard get togethers, trips to the zoo, visit the seashore and look forward to visiting with family an friends.

I hope each and everyone of you will have an enjoyable day.

A special thank you to our military. I am so proud to be an American.

May God Bless America.

Be sure to leave a little comment if you enjoyed seeing my pals. 

These deer are so beautiful and show such expression when they look at you. When you go outside they appear out of no where. As you can see they are quite different from our ordinary Texas Hill Country deer. They are much larger and the spots remain and have a heavier body with excellent horn mass. We don't feed them but some of our neighbors leave corn tortillas out for them, which they love.

I thought you would enjoy seeing some of my pet Axis deer that hang out at our house.

Enjoy!

Here's the Deal: Judi Morgan & Jimmy Braezeale have been going round and round. Jimmy says if Judi would eat some of his Fried Tree Rat she would never again want to munch out on M&M's. Comments have been made back at each other for awhile. Therefore, I think we need to take a vote for King of Fried Tree Rat or Queen of M&M's. YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

Fried Tree Rat 

MY M&M's Monster Appetite

Let the Voting Begin!

Morning Everyone: I'm down in Rockport, TX watching the rain come down. Listening to the news and watching the market. A couple weeks ago everyone was on top of the world. Today all your hear is doom & gloom. Talking about people going to be put out of their homes. No money to lend people that want to buy a home.

What are your thoughts and predictions? Have to read between the lines on this situation. It is serious on a global market. One thing we all know, the sun comes up and goes down everyday and change is quick.

What are your plans? 

Home inspections at Canyon Lake and New Braunfels Texas have been good due to people moving to this area of Texas. Yes, they are buying homes and telling friends and family about this wonderful, growing community, with nice weather, lower taxes, golf courses, ample shopping and on and on. 

What I also see and didn't realize that the newcomers moving in also have RV's, expensive motorhomes, 5th wheels  and plan to use this as a home base while they travel five and six months out of the year. Once they go on the first motor home trip they return, put the home on the market and go to RV'ing full time.

Is this also happening in other area's? What are your thoughts and how is this going to affect the real estate market and the inspection business for the home inspection service. People not buying a second home and possibly giving up their first home to become full time RV'ers.

Are the boomers not buying that second home? Are they giving up their first home? 

The National Do Not Call Registry Link: I suggest you check it out. It may be time to re-enter your number to stop those telemarketers from disturbing you when you are blogging on Active Rain.

www.donotcall.gov

The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls at home. Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at this Website. You can register your home or mobile phone for free. Your registration will be effective for five years.

There is also a link referencing Cell Phones and the Do Not Call Registry.

Back in 2000 if some told me I would be doing  the blog I would have thought they were talking to me in a foreign language. A what? A blog? Nonsense. Well shame on me. At 65 I love it. I'm blogging right along.

Let's listen to the consumer and ourself and realize the advantages at our finger tips. It is great to conduct business in the comfort of our home office with the rise of 2.0 with blogs, podcasts and our own Active Rain social networking site. Communicate with people all over the country. Make new friends and conduct business all at one time and have the consumer communicate with us. All this while we are growing our business.

Blogs, websites, podcasts and on and on has created a powerful mechanism for us to reach the consumer and the consumer to reach each and everyone of us. Example: Market our service in a few clicks on the keyboard. Savvy consumers are listening whether we realize it or not.

It is time for all of us to continue into the 21st century with creative thinking. My wife told me recently she heard this comment at a seminar she attended "assumptions and facts of today are tomorrows old ways of conducting and thinking how to run a business". 

Open your think tank (called a brain) and share ways you think we can increase our business by utilizing all this technology at our finger tips.

It is a great opportunity to share information. Here is an example: I may write a little blog which I'm not great about putting in all the details, but someone comes in and makes the necessary comments to get a good (I think they call it a thread or something) going. Information explodes and away we go.

Isn't life great ?

This is important for Realtors, Inspectors, anyone in Real Estate. This could save you from harm and even save your life.

Do you have a plan?

Are you prepared?

How would you fight off an attacker?

What if you are taken by total surprise?

Minimize your risk by minimizing your risk factors. 

  How?

• Always make sure you tell somebody exactly where you will be. 

• Be aware of your surroundings. 

• When uncomfortable, trust your instincts.

• Always lock doors behind you.

• Have your cell phone with you at all times and fully charged

• If in trouble, Run, Yell and Shout (Help & Fire)

• Carry pepper spray and be prepared to use it (make sure it is fresh)

• Have a whistle on a chain around your neck

• Be prepared to give them your purse, wallet, or even automobile.

Tell us about any experiences you may have had.