Rich Cederberg's Albuquerque Real Estate Blog

Spruce up your Gmail or Yahoo Email Signature with WiseStamp.com

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:21:56 -0600

I love Gmail. I prefer it to my TopProducer email because it's easier to use and because I can attach larger documents that won't upload on TopProducer. However, I always thought there was one big drawback to Gmail: the email signature.

Here's my TopProducer email signature:

Rich Cederberg, ABR, e-Pro, CDPE

RE/MAX Finest Realtors

(505) 750-1846 mobile

(505) 792-2266 fax

(505) 792-2255 office

Visit My Blog, View my LinkedIn Profile, Follow me on Twitter, or Friend me on Facebook!

Search for Albuquerque Homes

Ok, maybe it's not super impressive, I know some other people have some pretty cool things like the animated pen that's signing their names to their email, but my signature does what I want-it highlights my name, provides all my necessary phone numbers, but more importantly it includes links to my blog and Social Media Profiles and my Website.

Here's my Gmail signature until now:

Rich Cederberg, ABR, e-Pro, CDPE
RE/MAX Finest Realtors
(505) 750-1846 mobile
(505) 792-2255 office
Visit my Website at: www.BeautifulNMHomes.com
Visit my Blog at: www.NWAbq.com
http://twitter.com/ABQHomesforSale
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/ABQHomesForSale

I think that looks pretty boring, and everything gets a little muddled together.

Thanks to Brad Andersohn at the Denver RainCamp I think I've found a solution. It's called WiseStamp.com.

You can use Wisetamp to customize your Gmail, Yahoo Mail, AOl Mail and Hotmail Signatures.

Here's my Gmail signature now after only a few minutes on WiseStamp,

Rich Cederberg, ABR, e-Pro, CDPE
RE/MAX Finest Realtors
505.803.5012 mobile
505.792.2255 office
505.792.2266 fax
Visit my Blog
Search for Homes

Contact Me

I think I like that even better than my TopProducer Signature, and that was just my first try!'

Making my new email signature was really easy. You'll have to be using FireFox or Google Chrome, then go to WiseStamp.com. There's a big DOWNLOAD button on the home page. From there it's really simple!

Set yourself apart, spruce up your email signature and promote your social meda sites!

Albuquerque Realtor Rich Cederberg works for RE/MAX Finest in Albuquerque New Mexico. Previously Rich worked for RE/MAX Elite and the Vaughn Company Realtors for 5 years. He specializes in Albuquerque Real Estate, Northwest Albuquerque Real Estate, Rio Rancho Real Estate and Los Lunas Real Estate. He especially enjoys working with First Time Home Buyers. Call Rich if you need a Albuquerque REMAX agent.

New Mexicans at the Denver RainCamp

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:27:20 -0600

I traveled throughout the snow all day yesterday to get to the Denver RainCamp.

The room is full of Realtors (the event is sold out) mostly from Denver and the surrounding area, but there are at least three New Mexicans here.

Eloise Gift, Gift Realty NM

Valerie Almanzar, RE/MAX Finest

Rich Cederberg (I'm the big guy in the middle) RE/MAX Finest

Ben Kinney has been giving us all kinds of great new resources and been talking about SEO (more on that later), and Bob Stewart has started to tell us why we should blog.

We're learning a lot and having a great time at Denver Raincamp!

Rio Rancho NM Homes for Sale: Three, Four and Five Bedroom Homes

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:18:24 -0600

There are a lot of Rio Rancho Homes for Sale right now, however you can use my new website to easily search for Three-Bedroom Houses, Four Bedroom Homes and 5-Bedroom Homes.

The search results are just one click away!

There are a wide variety of homes in all price ranges in Rio Rancho, starting under $100,000 up to 1.4M and just about everything in between.

Rio Rancho is a nice alternative to living in Albuquerque. Although Rio Rancho is basically a suburb of Albuquerque, it has it's own distinct identity and is not a community without it's own sense of pride.

Whether you are looking for a less expensive home, a home on a large lot or a luxury home, Rio Rancho has the homes for sale that you'll want to see. Please visit my new website for super easy to get Home Search results.

Rio Rancho NM Homes for Sale: Short Sales

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:33:01 -0600

Short sales are not for everyone, but if you are looking to get a great deal on a Rio Rancho NM Home for Sale a short sale might be right for you.

Rio Rancho NM Short Sales

Why do I say they are not for everyone?

It can take several months to know if your offer has been accepted
You'll have to pay for your on inspections
The listing agent will probably take multiple offers and you might be outbid

Short sales are great for investors who can wait, but they're not so great for buyers who want to be under contract by April 30 and close by June 10 to cash in on the first time home buyer tax credit.

First time Rio Rancho home buyers should focus instead upon finding Rio Rancho Homes for Sale that are priced to sell. They are good deals out there that will close on time!

District 5 Spring Meeting March 23

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:19:55 -0600

There will be a meeting for residents of Albuquerque's City Council District 5 on March 23, 2010.

"Please join City Councilor Dan Lewis, Mayor R.J. Berry and city staff at a meeting for the West Side, District 5. We will discuss current initiatives from the city regarding public safety and other west side priorities. There will also be updates from West Wide elected officials regarding the legislative Session 2010."

The meeting will start at 7pm and we be held at the Don Newton Taylor Ranch Community Center.

In the past these meetings have been very informative. Attending is a great way to stay in touch with what's happening on Albuquerque's west side. Please join other members of the Piedras Marcadas Neighborhood Association at this event!

Selling Real Estate is a Lot Like Playing Trumpet

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:43:03 -0600

I'm happy to playing with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra again this weekend. I get to play about once a month when the orchestra needs an extra player.

In my previous career I was a free-lance trumpet player in Chicago. I played with symphony orchestras, brass quintets and broadway style pit orchestras.

When I decided to make a career change and become and Albuquerque Realtor, I thought my new job would be very different, but in many ways selling real estate is a lot like playing trumpet.

For instance, when you play trumpet for a living, you spend a lot of time alone in the practice room, preparing for a performance. When you sell real estate, you spend a lot of time alone in an office, preparing for showings or listing presentations.

When you play trumpet for a living, you work mostly nights and weekends. When you're an Albuquerque Realtor, nights and weekends can be really busy too!

When you play trumpet for a living you blow a lot of hot air! When you sell real estate....we'll nevermind, you know where I was going with that!

Seriously, the point I want to make here is that being a good Realtor, just like being a good trumpet player, takes preparation and practice, and only those individuals who are the most serious and most dedicated get to be the best!

I was a first-chair trumpet player and now I'm a top notch Albuquerque Realtor!

A Lender’s Appraisal Does Not Care About Your Upgrades

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:15:34 -0600

This is excellent information for anyone considering selling their Albuquerque or Rio Rancho home anytime soon.

Via Tony Grego with American Bank Mortgage Group - 317-714-8080:

Do you feel that pricing a home is a little like throwing darts these days? Sometimes you hit, most times you miss?

At the end of the day Realtors have a next to impossible job trying to help clients price their home. I don't think I ever met anyone that wants to lose money but most homes we price today should reflect a lower price than a few years ago. Now I'm on the mortgage side of things but I hear the same things. My house is worth XXX,XXX due to:

"I have nicer landscaping."

"I just replaced the carpets."

"I just repainted the walls."

"I just had the bathroom toilet fixed."

"I had my furnace replaced last year."

Realtors work very hard with comparables, pictures and stats to help support the price. I'm not saying that these upgrades are not important. They just don't really add value. They add eye and curb appeal to help a potential client say yes to the listing.

What goes into a Lender's Appraisal?

For Fannie Mae, Click here

For Freddie Mac, Click here

For FHA, Click here

Most homes are financed. So these appraisal standards are important when you price. Remember we are in a Lender's Market. Nothing will turn a buyer off more than working hard on a price agreement only to find out the appraisal comes in short. So to best serve our clients remember that most of the weight for your pricing strategy must be Lender comps.

At your service,
Tony Grego
Senior Mortgage Banker American Bank - Indianapolis, IN Branch
www.getmyratequote.com
www.tonygrego.com to learn more about me

317-348-0280 direct line
317-536-3754 fax
"Bankers with vision, helping people with dreams!"

New Houses for Sale in Rio Rancho NM

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:57:28 -0600

I had a great time looking at New Houses for Sale in Rio Rancho NM today.

I had some potential buyer clients come to town on Monday. Guess how they found me? Yep, that's right, through my Active Rain blog. We met at the office on Monday morning, and it turned out we are all from the Chicago area. Needless to say we hit it off instantly.

One of the reasons I blog is that I want to attract a certain kind of client. By that I don't mean they have to be multi millionaires. Far from it! What I"m looking for is clients who take their home search seriously. I'm looking for clients who do research online before they start looking at houses. I'm looking for clients who do their homework when they are looking for a Realtor too.

So it was awesome when they called and told me they found me through my Active Rain Blog.

Anyway, we had a fabulous time looking for new houses for sale in Rio Rancho.

We looked at Pulte Houses in Loma Colorado. We also looked at houses built by DR Horton. Both builders have something to offer. At DR Horton you can get a large amount of square footage for your dollar, but I must say I'm partial to the quality of the Pulte homes.

Many people don't know that their Realtors can show them new construction homes. I'm happy to do this for my buyer clients. In fact, I love looking at new homes that are staged by professionals. They sure look better than most of the resale homes we see out there on the market!

You don't have to use Realtor when you buy new home construction, but why wouldn't you? I look at homes for sale every day. I can identify and point out the pluses and minuses in the floor plans quickly. I can help you understand your needs and your likes and dislikes. In short, I can help you make a better decision about which builder to use and which house to buy. And you know what the best part is? I'm compensated the same way I am on resale homes. I'm paid by the seller.

Here;s another reason you should use a Realtor when your'e buying a new construction home. Because you need your own representation.

Do you realize that when you walk in the front door of a builder with me that you are waiving your right to have your own representation. I know, some of you are thinking, I don't need it, the builder's salesperson can do all the work.

Yes they can and they love to because they are representing the builder, not you!

It would be like going to court where the other side has a lawyer so you decline one and you say "I don't need a lawyer, their lawyer can do it for me."

Or like going to divorce court and your soon to be ex says "please use my lawyer." That would be downright stupid, yet that's what many new home buyers do.

Don't make that mistake! Contact an experienced Realtor like me when you're looking for new houses in Rio Rancho NM!

Golf Course Properties in Rio Rancho

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:20:17 -0600

I love the Golf Course Properties in Rio Rancho. In fact, some of the absolute nicest houses in Rio Rancho are on Chamisa Hills Golf Course.

Rio Rancho NM Fabulous Golf Course Properties

Chamisa Hills Golf Course is located in the south part of Rio Rancho (see map below) not too far from Southern Blvd and Rio Rancho Blvd (528). There are three nine hole courses.

One of the big advantages of living in Rio Rancho is the moderate climate. The weather is ideal for Golf 8 months out of the year. The average high temperature for March is 61 degrees.

Of course you don't have to be a golf enthusiast to enjoy the benefits of living on a Rio Rancho Golf Course. The park-like atmosphere and manicured greens make for fabulous views from the homes the back up to the greens.

I love helping buyers find the right Rio Rancho home. Please contact me if you are interested in looking for Golf Course Properties in Rio Rancho.

View Larger Map

Welcome Caroline Roles Henry to AR!

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:27:55 -0600

My friend and coworker Caroline Roles-Henry has just joined Active Rain and become a Rainmaker!

Caroline has a background in newspaper advertising sales, so she's going to be great at blogging.

Caroline started in Real Estate sales in 1995. She has also worked as an licensed assistant for other agents. Currently she sells real estate for RE/MAX Finest in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho and has a business called Virtual Transitions, LLC. Her Virtual Transitions business assists real estate brokers with their transactions from contract to close.

When she's not working Caroline enjoys gardening, entertaining and gourmet cooking.

Please search for Caroline's blog and stop to encourage her!

Albuquerque Metro Real Estate

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:14:04 -0600

I'm really excited about my new Albuquerque Metro Real Estate website.

Of course you can search for homes in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho on my site, but you can also search for Sandia Park NM Homes for Sale, Tijeras NM Homes for Sale and and Cedar Crest NM Homes for Sale too. Those are some of my favorite metro Albuquerque places to show and sell homes.

Living in the East Mountains is totally different from living in Albuquerque. There is such a great contrast in terrain and climate that home buyers who have not seen homes in the east mountains are shocked when they take the relatively short drive to the other side of the Sandias to look at homes. The drive into Albuquerque only takes twenty or thirty minutes depending where you are going.

Do you like mountains, hiking, wooded lots? The east mountains of Albuquerque might be the right place for you.

Older Agents: Have You Adapted to Online Real Estate?

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:51:59 -0600

If you're an older agent I want to know: Have you adapted to online Real Estate?

For those of you who are holding out on all these changes in online real estate, let me tell you about my daughter Allison. I am so proud of my daughter Allison. She made her first business cards today.

No, she's not following in her dad's footsteps and going into real estate. Not yet anyway.

Her new business is called "Groceries are Fun!" She even has a great tag line: "I'll carry your worries away!"

We're not sure exactly what services she is going to offer, because, you see, she is only 9 years old.

Can you make your own business cards online? Do you have the computer skills that today's 9-year olds are learning? If you don't, it's time to sail off into the sunset. Today's real estate is done online. The marketing that sells houses is online. The networking between professionals is done online. The information that consumers want about all aspects of real estate is online. If you're an older agent have you adapted?

Oh, and did I mention? Coming soon: My daughter's new website. No she's not desiging it herself. Her older brother is. He's 11 and oh, you know what? He works with HTML code! Do you even know what that is?

Move over dinosuars! Adapt or become extinct. Lose all the hairspray, the fancy car and the self-indulgent networking lunch and let the internet generation take over! We serve our clients so much better than you can!

Casa Viejo Restaraunt in Corrales NM

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:50:18 -0600

My wife and I had a lovely lunch in Corrales NM today.

It was a lazy New Mexico Friday afternoon in February. A great day to have lunch and not rush.

We sat in the room with the yellow fireplace. The scent of burning pinon was in the air.

I had Red Chili Buffalo Enchiladas, my wife had Green Chili Enchiladas. They were fabulous!

Of course I couldn't sit still, so I nosed around a little bit...

Casa Vieja means "Old House." I love the nichos and the picture frame.

My wife and I had a great time and we plan to return to Casa Vieja soon. We love Corrales!

Someday we plan to have a Scenic Home in Corrales NM.

Los Lunas Rail Runner Station/Bosque Coffee Roasters

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:45:33 -0600

I was down in Los Lunas NM this morning showing equestrian properties. I saw a few nice homes, then on the way back I stopped at the Los Lunas Rail Runner Station.

The NM Rail Runner has 8 northbound departures from the Los Lunas station on weekdays.

Railrunner service to Los Lunas began in December 2006.

The station was completed after that, and this was the first chance I had to stop by and check it out.

When I saw the words "Coffee Shop," I knew I had to peek inside. What I found was two really nice people working on getting the lunch menu together. It smelled really yummy!

If I had more time and if I hadn't had a big breakfast I would have sat down and had a bite at Bosque Coffee Roasters.

Maybe next time.....

Los Lunas offers the best of both worlds-rural living and an easy commute to work in Albuquerque. If this sounds appealing to you then you should visit my website and start your search for Los Lunas Horse Properties.

Lessons Learned in Albuquerque Real Estate (and real life too)

Rich Cederberg- Albuquerque Real Estate Blog (RE/MAX Finest) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:06:47 -0600

I closed a purchase today. It was nice to put it behind me, it was not the easiest transaction I've ever had for sure.

Every transaction teaches me something. Sometimes it has to do with septic systems or water rights. Other times it's about human nature. The purchase I closed today taught me about Radon in Albuquerque, about myself, about other agents and how not to approach business (IMHO), and a lot about the women in our lives who are our wives and mothers.

Here's what I learned about Radon: High levels of Radon gas do sometimes exist here in Albuquerque, and we ought to be testing more frequently for them.

Here's what I learned about myself: I need to continue to be steadfast and stand by what I think is right and not be swayed by some things that are conventional beliefs (about aluminum wiring in Albuquerque, for example) by many real estate professionals here in Albuquerque.

During the course of this transaction I heard this shameful admission veiled as a prideful boast: "I've been in business for 22 years and I've never heard of that." Wow, what an admission. Shame on them for saying that. We should be learning everyday. 22 days or 22 years-things change and you need to keep current.

Another favorite quote during the course of this transaction was "your clients are difficult to control, aren't they?" My answer was absolutely not! They are the best clients ever and I my job is to serve them, not to control them. That's called customer service!

But the lesson learned that will stick with me the most is what I learned by spending several long days looking at houses with a wife of one and a mother of two, who, due to circumstances, had to find a new home for herself and her family on her own.

I watched and listened, as I always do, for clues as to what kind of house she wanted. I watched and was impressed with how her house "wish list" was lacking antyhing to do with her own needs or wants. The entire time we spent together she was tenaciously focused on what her husband needed and what her children needed. At one point we joked about how she would be happy finding any house that worked for all of the others as long as it didn't have lime-green countertops like the last house. (OMG!)

So this transaction was full of lessons learned, but my favorite lesson of all was about the love and dedication of one wife and mother. I am honored for the opportunity to have served her, her husband, and her family.