The 2-peds of Chicago

                                                                                         

The Bicycle Troops

    They're parked in uniform rows ready to attack the streets of Chicago.

    You’ve seen them whizzing down the street. What 2-pedal finesse. What 2-wheel artistry. Baryshnikov would be duly impressed. Am I impressed? Good grief, no! A thousand times, NO.

   I have been deprived of a driving lane in many streets.

… I’m maneuvering around “white sticks” in the ground… I’m thinking of foregoing right hand turns because bicyclists dare me to turn in front of them with “litigate” in their snarly eyes… I’m getting prominently displayed middle fingers flashed at me as bicycle riders wheelie past through a red light.

Do they get tickets? Of course not. Yet I am photographed…my car is photographed…my license plate is immortalized if I dare ramp up the accelerator, or go thru a yellow when a red light catches me 3/4s through the intersection. And, if I stop too suddenly, I’m certain to be rear ended and have my insurance costs double

I think it should be mandatory that all bicyclists wear a license around their necks—one that could identify them for any transgression. And any moving violation! In fact, issuing “license” numbers would be a breeze for those cyclists renting the new blue city bikes. Something like the numbers worn in a triathlon. The city would benefit unbelievably from tickets issued to these 2-wheel nasties on the avenues.

Oh, but wait. How about the jaywalkers? You know the ones. You’re going 25 miles an hour and some idiot steps directly in front of your car in the middle of the street --no crosswalk, no corner--and they stare at you like you’re the bad guy. Or you’re making a right hand turn and they smile as you’re forced to stop 3/4s into the turn, about to be hit by oncoming traffic. Or they’re talking on their frigging phone and you stop on a dime and coffee spills onto your lap and the open briefcase on the passenger seat spills onto the floor.

California tickets them. What do we do? We just create more walkways. When I was a kid, I was taught to look both ways and cross when it was safe—at the light. I thought that was a pretty smart solution. Now, it’s wherever, whenever or whatever moves you.

I think it’s time to rebel. Without cars in Chicago, cameras would have nothing to photograph. The city would have no fines to collect, no stickers to sell. Police officers could spend their days protecting the taxpayers. Maybe even the ones on the North side.

In addition, with no funds, the potholes would not be filled, the streets would not be repaved, and bicyclists would no longer be able to whiz though lights particularly if they did not want their tires punctured. It would be a brave new world.

Now, I happen to like bike riding but I choose to ride in the safety of an exercise facility. I used to ride along the lakefront; unbelievably, the paths were empty when I moved back to the city several years back. Now, it’s more like the Autobahn. Between the cyclists huffing by at incredible speeds, triple strollers, and casual walkers walking three abreast, you are at the mercy of the many. After a torn rotator cuff, I took it easy. After a dislocated shoulder, I sold my bike.

Maybe you need to have the bravado of youth or be a lover of high risk riding to maneuver the streets of Chicago between the “white sticks”, the bike lanes and the SUVs. In any case, I still believe you need a license around your neck and a ticket to remind you there are rules on the road.

In fact, Chicago would have a great revenue stream if anyone renting one of our “blue bikes” were forced to pay for a bike license. Just think how that number could be prominently displayed each and every time they rode a bike. Think of the ticketing opportunity potential!

And if you think those bikes are helping to reduce congestion in the city, you haven’t been driving lately down Milwaukee Ave, or somewhere in the Loop, or around the East Bank Club. I will admit, some times of day are worse than others.

I’ve been in Chicago long enough to remember the gripes about bicycle-messengers. “A threat to pedestrians… to drivers.” They are milk toast compared to a trader on 2-wheels.

What do you think? Should Chicago become the cyclist city? Is there room enough for both cycle and automobile? Should cyclists have to display a license plate? Are car drivers being singled out to fill the city coffers—camera tickets, license plates, city stickers, gasoline taxes, parking fees and fines.

It would be wonderful to hook the tire of my convertible to a lamppost and not worry about a meter running out of time. But that, and snow in July haven't a chance of being more than a wish. So...I have decided to sell my car, walk for pleasure, ZIP Car-it for special shopping and limo-driver-it for non-walking, non-cabbing buyer tours. It will be my brave new world.

Moving -- a dream or a nightmare?

I 've moved pretty much every 5-7 years.  I've changed neighborhoods, gone from condo to coop and back again, traded vintage for new construction, added more space, replaced valet with deeded parking, and experienced remodeling and redecorating--often.  Adjusting to the physical changes in my living  space was far more difficult  than the actual move, until ....this last one.

As a Realtor, I had always felt it was much safer to sell before buying.  Wrong!  Well, at least in a market like the one we've been experiencing.  A large down payment and a promise of a quick close means absolutely nothing when the inventory is at an all time low and buyers and investor buyers are practically coming to blows to get the deal done.

Sometimes, being a Realtor is more of a disadvantage when buying and selling your own home.  "Don't worry, you'll find something."  Isn't than what we tell all of our buyers?  As long as we're prepared to compromise, there shouldn't be a problem.  Right!  If only I took the advice I give to my clients, my move to a storage facility and temporary living arrangements wouldn't have been a nightmare!

Here are some of the things I tell my sellers when they are just thinking about selling:

1.   Don't just hide the clutter, get rid of it physically.  Or else, you'll pack it, and pay to move it.

2.   Don't like a piece of furniture, get busy and sell it.  Sell it yourself, call a consignment shop, just

      remember, it won't be worth anything close to what you paid for it.

3.   Try on all clothes in the closet.  Good Rule tip:   If it doesn't fit, get rid of it.  

      When you lose those 10-15 lbs think of all the fun you'll have filling a new closet.

4.   Call and plan for a Salvation Army pick up in the future-- start now, to gather  items you don't  

      use to meet that date.  Or plan a bi-weekly trip to your favorite charity to deliver donations.  Note:
      Goodwill Industries accepts computer donations in the Chicagoland area.  Check other locations.
      Also in Chicago, the city supports several computer recycling centers.

      Good Rule Tip:  if you haven't used something in 10 years, you probably won't use it again.

5.   Plan a house sale.  Set up items by groups--$1, $5, etc.

      Good Rule Tip:  Be creative with special items.  If you've got that 40 cup percolator sitting in the       cupboard and tons or muffin tins you don't need, contact a catering company--they might be  

      interested in buying those items.  Or, donate them to a shelter.

6.   Plan a book sale if you have tons of books. How about a Mystery Book Sale????  Ask 

      neighbors to join you.  Or plan a kid's garage sale--clothes, toys and books.

      Good Rule Tip:   Specific groups of items targeting special groups will draw more buyers. 

7.   Start packing items you use occasionally-- silver, good china, and store in a closet you've 

      cleared, or an attic.   And create a real list with box number and items inside.

8.   Go thru all of your paper and digital files--tax, receipts, & recipe file folders, etc., and don't 

      forget to cull through the CDs and DVDs. (They are being outdated as we speak.)  Separate   

      everything by importance, immediate need, and files you keep as a backup.   Banker Boxes 

      are terrific and economical, if you watch for a sale at a local office supply store.   

      Good Rule Tip: Go thru files before your list your property-- before you sell your property 

      and pack for the big move.

9.   Consolidate duplications.  Everyone keeps duplicate cleaning supplies in every bath and the   

      kitchen. Condense.  Create one rolling cart with supplies you can use.

10. Consider buying storage bins for moving--not for everything, but certainly for like items that need

      special care.  The bins hold gobs of things and are more solid than expensive boxes.  And they 

      are reusable, even when you tape them.

I did follow a several of my suggestions, but time ran out and you know the story.  Just throw it in a box and tape it up--thank goodness I was so finite in what I was "throwing" into those last boxes!

Buy, sell or stay put?

In April of this year, pending home sales improved, slightly according to the National Association of Realtors. Existing home sales for May will be available at the end of June.

The PHSI (Pending Home Sales Index) based on contract signings (not closings) rose .3% from March to April.  And the index is 10.3%  above April 2012. In the Midwest, the index rose 3.2% and is just over 15% higher than April 2012

Even better, 'because of inventory shortages, higher home sales will push up home values to the highest level in five years'  according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. The national median existing-home

price should increase close to 8 percent. 

This year, total existing-home sales are expected to rise just over 7 percent to about 5 million.  Coincidentally, the volume of existing home sales in 2001 fell within the range of 5 to 5 ^1/2 million, which is considered normal for the current

US population.

So, do you buy, sell or stay put? 

Inventory.  It's time to measure opportunities and disadvantages. Chicago is right on target in having reduced inventory.  Good properties, in great condition, and in good locations are getting hard to come by.   As a result, we've been seeing multiple offers on many properties.  Some buyers and buyer agents, of course, still believe that low-balling is going to get them a great steal.   Unless a seller is extremely anxious, that "great steal" isn't happening.   

Pricing your home.  Your home's value isn't always determined by one that closed up the street or a floor above in your condo building.  Pricing depends on many factors. And don't forget Econ 101,Supply and Demand Check out this minute video on Fair Market Value.  . 

"Short Sales" and "Foreclosures".  Yes, there are still a good number, but investors are snapping them up.  Many investor groups are buying shorts and foreclosures, rehabbing and putting them up for lease. When it becomes a total seller's market, once again, they may put their rental cash cows back up for sale. If you move quickly with no hesitation, you may be lucky and get a great deal.  But competing for these properties, is not for sissies.  Decisive, aggressive offers with cash, get the deal closed.

 Mortgages.  Tough, tougher and toughest.  Many sales today are the cash variety because of the difficulty getting mortgage approval.  Your credit score, your assets, for the most part don't mean very  much.  Earnings ratios are critical. But, considering that rising home prices have not yet hit the highs we experienced just before the real estate crash, property is still a bargain, particularly with the low mortgage rates.  Rates that most assuredly will be heading up as the economy continues to improve.

So, it's a great time to sell because of the reduced inventory, low rates, and rising property values.

It's a great time to buy...if the right first or step up home is available because pricing is still realistic and the borrowing rates are low.  Remember just one interest point, can raise a monthly payment  several hundred dollars. 

It's a fine time to stay put, if you are happy with your home size and your location.  Rehabbing/remodeling  your home will only increase its value in the next 3-5 years. 

Look at every option before you make a decision.  And if you decide that there is room for a new home in your future or you want to market your home the today way--with video, email me:  lori@loriblackwell.com or lori@abcsofrealestate.com

Video Content Types: DigitaI Footage & Photos

                It has been predicted that by 2014, 70% of all internet traffic will be video content:  digital footage and photos. All  kinds of subject matter.  All levels of quality from movies, personal experiences, TV programming, tips, info and more.  Targeting the right audience will be critical. 

               Search engine optimization (SEO) for dummies will be on everyone's list.  What is it? How does it work? How can I adapt it to my content?  Before we can promote that content utilizing SEO we have to make sure our content works.  For most independent contractors and small business owners who wear many hats, it is a period of trial and error. 

               'Include images in content' -- but how do those images look and what do they say?  We are not talking friends and family photos, folks -- we are talking business. 

               'Include video in content' -- but how do those videos look and what are they saying, how do we shoot them, and how can we make them 'sales calls'?

Let's begin with images:  You don't have to be a commercial photographer, although I recommend using one for      important photos and tricky situations. If the image tells your story and it looks good--it's a win, win.  Some tips:

               Lighting.  When the room is filled with natural light from a lot of windows, photos will look too dark --when your camera is set at an automatic mode.  All that natural light tells a camera that the room is lighter than it really is. Tip:  Frame your photo looking at the windows, then focus on another area away from the windows.  Press the shutter down half way to lock the exposure, then focus back on the window area and press the shutter button down the rest of the way. 

               When the room is in shadow, turn on the lights and use your flash.  You may require an auxiliary light pack--if so, get help, unless you are really into photography.

              

               Planning the shot.  Consider what you are shooting. 1) Expect shooting stars, ufo's and other glaring shapes when you aim your camera and flash at a reflective surface.  2) Focus on what's important--for example, when shooting a bedroom, are you selling the bed, the size of the room, or the doors to a walkout. Remember:  you don't have to do it all in one shot.  3) Remove the nonsense straighten the lampshade,clear off the desk, fluff the pillows, remove the stack of papers.  A viewer's eye always goes straight to the oddity, the imperfection--so they can miss the point of your photo. 4) Blurriness?  Try shooting with a tripod.

Fixing your mistakes-- or the wonders of Photoshop.   If you are brave and computer savvy, Photoshop is the ultimate image doctor. A political "fashionista" and I use that term loosely, could lose her hips, bring down her waist and eliminate her overbite with Photoshop --all without a surgical cut.   

Original image

Enhanced image

              Photoshop Elements doesn't require as much savvy-ness, but working with layers may prove to be more than you bargained for...but for cropping and adjusting light, contrast, it's terrific. 

Original image

Canvas look added to image

And for really easy photo enhancement,  check out PicMonkey.com.  Turn images into canvas versions and more. You can work wonders, even with wrinkles.  It's fun, too.

                   

So how about video --  or, do I have be another Hitchcock, or Spielberg?  No, not everyone is expecting an academy award winner.  Content and reasonably good digital footage works.  The critical element?  Appealing to your target.   

                

                Lighting and sound--the 2 banes of video.  Just the right amount of light bouncing back into a speaker's face can make a change.  Bags and wrinkles can be diminished.  Eyes can look brighter.  Chin lines can look sharper.  It takes practice, but before you know it, you can shoot simple videos that are sharp and clear--sometimes using simple light sources in a room. Experiment. Just remember you can't make a Julia Roberts out of a Maggie Smith, or a Mercedes out of an Edsel.

               Sound is a real difficult issue.  If your camera has the capability of utilizing wired or wireless mikes, you can win the audio battle.  But if you depend on your digital movie camera to supply the sound, prepare to beef it up in edit.  Most editing software lets you separate the sound and image in digital footage.  That way you can strengthen the voice track, add music and balance the sound.   Or, once you've separated the voice track work it over with Audacity--this is spectacular and  free.  It's one of the best recording and editing software programs, I've used.  Download it at:  http://audacity.sourceforge.net/.    Again, remember, you can't turn a crow's caw into a Nightingale's song.

               Editing.  When shooting simple demonstrations, position your camera as close to the action as possible.  Use editing software to highlight areas you are demonstrating.  Software I prefer includes Corel VideoPro, Camtasia Studio, and Photoshop Premier.  Camtasia has the best tutorial videos in my opinion.  And all three programs allow multiple rendering options, even direct to You Tube. 

              

               Content and Timing--who is your audience?

No one sits before their computer and is willing to watch a 7-15 minute dissertation on who you are or what you are selling--have I learned that the hard way!  Can you spit it out in a minute?  Two if it's something your target is really interested in.  Three to five, if it's informational?    Take a trip through some video channels and try it yourself.  Select an area you want to know something about, then make  notes.  After 10 or 20 videos, you'll get the picture. 

               I wanted to know how to remove the internal hard drive of a non-working  computer so that I could remove the data via a connection to another computer.  I watched 10 videos and finally decided I was better off on my own.  7 of the 10 videos had no sound.  I was supposed to understand what these people were doing just by watching them point their finger at an area that was so poorly lit, I didn't know  what electronic device they were working on.   The other 3 videos had a voice track that just talked about how easy it was.  Maybe for a computer repair guy, but not for a middle aged user who couldn't find a screw driver small enough to remove the screws.  That should have been the first step in the explanation.  The first seven guys would no doubt have pointed to a hardware store in the dark.  Just for the record, use a screwdriver that is used for eyeglasses. 

It's all about content!

We hear it every day.  On Facebook -- forget amassing likes, get engagement with content.  On Twitter--get those retweets for engagement.  Add "content" for branding.  Post videos.  Post images. And on and on.  Never ending tasks.  Oh, and one more thing, do it every day.

But just what is content?  Is it a "saying" for the day?  Is it a repeat of an article you've read--and most likely are sending  to individuals who've already seen it in your Linked In Group?  Is it telling a story about your company?  Is  talking about your pet or a movie you've seen, considered "content"?  Or is it passing on information you think is important or relevant?  And more importantly, how does it measure with social media algorithms so someone actually can see it?

Some companies and some individuals pepper the Internet with a constant barrage of unnecessary or repetitive data, to the extent that their name or logo becomes annoying rather than informative.  You must decide what you want to pass on and how you want to be perceived.  Forget going viral, just tell them something worth hearing and seeing.

First and foremost, know and listen to your target.  A good rule of thumb to follow on social media  is 10% sell and 90% information from ebooks to videos.  (I'm learning that the hard way.) But whatever you do, you must have commitment.  So choose 1 or 2 social media sites and work with them.  Your posts don't have to be elaborate but develop a strategy and commit to it.  It may take awhile, but it'll work.
 
When it comes to video, it's even more important. Does it have to be a big scale production?  Sure, if you can afford it. But really it's all in the message.

Are you an expert in the field?  Do you want to keep your customers and add new ones? If so, then a minute message could deliver relevant content. Whether your are a real estate agent or have a Heating & Cooling  business.  Choose one topic.  One subject.  Example:  Should you change furnace filters, more than once a season?  Answer the question and tell them which conditions dictate changing filters.  And show them -- show them a furnace filter after 2 weeks, after 4. See what worked for Chicago Dentist +JerryLynch from our site's resource directory.  We've set up a page for a click thru , but you can be simple-- just email your picture with a hyperlink to any video you post on You Tube.  Write a note, 50% off during April, or get a FREE home evaluation.

Dr Lynch


 How to do it:  Set your movie camera on a tripod and get up nice and close or sit before your computer camera.  Keep it under 1 minute!   Then you've got #1 in a series with simple Q & A that you can post on the Internet, or market to your customer list via an email link, along with a Special Offer. Do it weekly or any schedule that fits yours (unless of course, you have an army working for you).  Remember, people do business with people.  When they see your face, you are a real person and they either believe you or they don't.

Do you have important information that affects a special target?  Do you want to brand yourself as an expert in the field for that target?  If the information you impart is relevant to a current issue, you can spend 3-5 minutes on the topic and you won't lose a viewer.  But....you have to present the topic in an organized and easily understood manner and remember you are talking to a niche audience.  What's more, you must be comfortable in front of a camera.  If the subject affects your industry but you are not the expert, bring one in and make it a message presented by you.  Example:  I'm a real estate broker and short sales affect my target.  Rather than present  a message personally, I decided to shoot a real estate attorney--with a camera, that is -- +Shara Danielle Harris. The video is from our real estate site, but it is presented by me as an independent broker.  I'm marketing it for our business site plus my individual brokerage site, Facebook, etal.

 Short Sale Primer

The presentation:   A simple shoot in an office with supers (captions, etc) identifying the question and separating the on-camera answers. Sound can be an issue in an office with high ceiling and an abundance of window areas  as evidenced in our video.   But, it works for us--and we won't shoot in the same environment next time.
NOTE :  A big thank you for all the great emails. Been extraordinarily busy, but our next blog is in works.  Watch for it.  Meanwhile "like" us on Facebook (brixNflix)--particularly since you are "engaging" with this blog.  And real estate agents, check out brixnflix.com -- it's a real bargain if you have a property to sell..