Tyler G. Merkel Blog

Friday, June 2, 2017

Why Don’t Agent/Brokers Release Their Own Instant Offers?

while Zillow is the #1 website in the real estate category, I’m willing to bet that most consumers don’t start searching there. I think they start searching on Google and go from there.

So… say it with me: Google Instant Offer.

You can already book hotel rooms and airline flights directly from Google. Why not solicit an offer on your house right from Google?

The pitch from Zillow as to why this is industry friendly is that it will help drive more sellers leads for Premier Agents.

Last I checked, agents / brokers are always seeking more ways to drive seller leads on their own. Why wouldn’t agents/brokers release “Instant Offers” themselves, in their own local markets?

The relationships with investors, and complete automation, are the hard parts. The core seller experience is a glorified lead form. Submit your address and some information about your house. Receive investor offers and a CMA in return. That’s an experience that can be easily designed and built in days, and the execution hacked (aka done manually in spreadsheets and email).

If you believe sellers will be interested and it will drive leads, I’m not sure why the industry wouldn’t develop their own versions of Instant Offers? What am I missing?

PS #1: If you actually think this is a good idea and want a custom lead form / flow designed and built, send me an email.

PS #2: I still believe brokerages/franchises should be investing in a private/exclusive coming soon network.

The post Why Don’t Agent/Brokers Release Their Own Instant Offers? appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

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Thursday, June 1, 2017

A Look at the Biggest International Baseball Upsets

Upsets are a wonderful part of the game of international baseball, and make for extra exhilaration. Take a look at the upsets that shocked sports fans!

The Biggest Upsets in the History of International Baseball

March 10th 2009: Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic

There is no way that the 2 – 1 victory the Netherlands managed over the Dominican Republic can be overestimated. The latter was a team loaded with all-stars from the MLB, including Tejada, and the Dutch had not 1 player on the roster to match the skill of these great sportsmen, but they battled their way admirably to a not-so-embarrassing defeat regardless.

2004 Quarterfinal at the Olympic Baseball Qualification: Mexico vs. USA

This game served to have the American team eliminated from competing in the 2004 Summer Olympics, with the Mexicans overpowering them with a final score of 2 – 1.

1924 World Series: Washington Senators vs. New York Giants

The Senators defeated the Giants in a total of 4 games to 3. The Giants managed to clobber Big Train –Walter Johnson – in 2 starts, with the Senators losing both the games in which he started. They went on to win 3 of the four he did not, however, forcing a wonderful 7th game into extra innings.

2000 Summer Olympics Gold Medal Game: USA vs. Cuba

The American team, in a match very similar to the one undergone by David and Goliath, with Cuba being the representative for the latter, beat the Cubans with a whopping score of 4 to 0. Tommy Lasorda, the Manager, sent Ben Sheets to the mound when the game began.

1973 NLCS: New York Mets vs. Cincinnati Reds

The New York Mets defeated the Reds 3 games to 2. In the 3rd game, Pete Rose managed to take out Bud Harrelson, shortstop for the Mets, in order to break up a double-play. Rose, however, slid so far out of the path of the base that Harrelson punched him in the stomach, and this resulted in the worst brawl in the history of postseason baseball.

Sports betting fans who had backed the underdogs saw incredible returns, proving once again why you should never just go with the favourites!

2003 World Series: Florida Marlins vs. New York Yankees

In the World Series of 2003, the Marlins managed to defeat the Yankees with 4 games to 2. Despite the fact that the Marlins’ payroll was a mere fraction of that enjoyed by the Yankees, they managed to stun the Bombers from the Bronx in 6 games, with these culminating in a 2-hit complete game shutout by Josh Beckett at Yankee Stadium.

2006 ALDS: Detroit Tigers vs. the New York Yankees

Most baseball analysts agreed that the Yankees/Tigers ALDS match-up was a joke, and after the 1st game they seemed to be correct. However, Verlander, Rogers and Bonderman managed to frustrate the Yankees hitters in the next 3 games, and thus earned their place on the list of most shocking upsets.

1996 World Series: Baltimore Orioles vs. LA Dodgers

The Orioles stunned the Dodgers in 4 games. Crafty pitchers McNally and Palmer totally out pitched the Dodger rotation, and the team from LA managed to score only 2 runs in that entire series, with the Orioles emerging with a total score of 4 games to 0.

1969 World Series: NY Mets vs. Baltimore Orioles

Thanks to Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman, the Mets managed a win of 4 – 1 against the Orioles in 1969, exceeding all expectations.

1988 World Series: LA Dodgers vs. Oakland Athletics

The Dodgers managed to take Game 1, thanks to an injured Kirk Gibson hobbling out of the clubhouse in order to slam a winning 2-run homerun at the bottom of the 9th in order to give the Dodgers a 5-4 advantage.

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Pampered Pups: 5 Home Features Dogs (and Their Owners) Will Love

Designer Lookbook: Jennifer Stoner's Vibrant Family Room Addition

When a growing family wanted a sprawling family room addition constructed on the back of their Glen Allen, VA home, they called on interior designer Jennifer Stoner to make it an attractive and kid-friendly space with the right fabrics and finishes.

The homeowners requested bold colors, fun architectural details, a place to tuck their 75-inch flat-screen TV, and plenty of seating.

Wateredge Construction built the large gathering room, which included a back entry, small office, and staircase to the second floor. "It was fun because it was an expansive room with 12-foot-high ceilings, which afforded a lot of opportunities," says Stoner.

Walls were kept neutral, painted in Sherwin-Williams' Agreeable Gray to allow the decor and color scheme of blue and orange to shine. Stoner painted the ceiling a soft blue (Sherwin-Williams' Topsail), which ties back to the walls of the home's recently renovated kitchen, then layered fabrics and decor in a contrasting orange for a punch.

Airy orange-and-blue patterned draperies, made with Robert Allen fabric, are paired with orange-striped Roman shades, while pops of orange are sprinkled throughout, from the leather ottoman to throw pillows and tchotchkes. "And my client really wanted the orange barn door," says Stoner.

Stoner worked with Joe Fowkes of Wateredge to develop architectural features, like the fretwork pattern on the banister, pullout storage cabinets tucked under the stairs, and a coffered ceiling pattern that departs from the traditional grid pattern.

Under the stairs, they created doors with hidden hinges and pullout shelves. "This provides terrific hidden storage for the kids’ toys, games, blankets, etc.," says Stoner.

A large entertainment cabinet in a gray-blue shade complements the sky-blue ceiling, gray banisters, and stone fireplace facade. And the cabinet doors on the unit thoughtfully echo the fretwork pattern on the banister and coffered ceiling.

"It was a custom piece that I designed with input from my client," says Stoner. "We wanted something that would stand out more than typical built-ins, and we needed to do something custom to accommodate the 75-inch TV."

"We made a great team - our client, Joe, and me - collaborating and successfully creating a unique space," Stoner notes. "The room has some sophisticated elements, so it’s a great space to entertain when they have company, but it’s very kid- and pet-friendly with durable Crypton fabrics."

Get the look at home

Add color to your ceiling. "It’s the fifth wall in your room, and the rule that ceilings should be white is long gone," says Stoner. "A soft, subtle blue is always a winner, but don’t be afraid to go big with a bold color or even wallpaper."
Create colorful entryways. "Paint your interior doors a darker contrast color, and leave your trim white," says Stoner. "This is a fun way to create some architectural depth and interest, and give your home a more custom look."
Bring the outdoor fabrics in. "You can create a beautiful room that will hold up to kids and dogs by incorporating Crypton or outdoor fabrics," says Stoner. "These fabrics have come a long way in terms of available patterns and the feel of the fabrics. They even make outdoor 'velvet' now, which you can clean with bleach after your child drips ice cream on it. We want our rooms to look great, but we want to be able to live in them without having to cover them in plastic, like our grandparents did."

Photos by Bryan Chavez

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House of the Week: Tiny Shipping Container, Big Style

With only 320 square feet of living space, this Carolina Beach house isn’t like others on the street. Set back on a peaceful wooded lot just three blocks from the beach, the tiny home is stirring up a lot of buzz. But, it’s not just the size everyone is talking about.

Two years ago, builders turned an average shipping container into this recycled, ocean-blue residence that listing agent Diana Jewell refers to as “a modern, minimalist tiny beach home” or, more simply, a “cool surf shack.”

Now on the market with Century 21 for $250,000, the home features 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom and decks off the living room and kitchen.

Photos by Cape Fear Real Estate Directory.

The shipping container isn’t the house’s only recycled characteristic. The home is also furnished with mahogany wood floors that were salvaged and refinished.

“Paperstone (recycled paper) countertops were used in the bathroom and kitchen,” Jewell explains, meaning this tiny home makes an even smaller environmental footprint than you might expect.

Although the space is well, mini, a large effort went into create a comfortable and spacious interior.

“Neutral finishings make it appear to look larger and brighter,” Jewell says, and huge glass doors and windows were thoughtfully placed around the home.

“Also, bump-outs were built in the living room and bathroom to maximize those spaces,” she adds.

This tiny container home shows that you don’t need much to live with style.

“It has all the features and amenities necessary to live comfortably,” Jewell says.

Top photo by Harry Taylor.

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Barack and Michelle Obama Buy $8.1M D.C. Home

After Barack Obama’s presidential term ended, there was a lot of speculation about whether the Obama family would move back to Chicago, stay in Washington D.C. or head somewhere entirely new. The uncertainty about where they’d land was further fueled by their decision to rent in ritzy D.C. neighborhood Kalorama.

It now looks like the Obamas have decided to stay - not just in D.C., but in the very Kalorama home they’ve been renting. In a statement quoted by Chicago Sun-Times, Kevin Lewis, an Obama spokesperson, explained, “Given that President and Mrs. Obama will be in Washington for at least another two and a half years, it made sense for them to buy a home rather than continuing to rent property.”

Two and a half years is presumably a reference to when the youngest Obama, Sasha, will graduate high school (she attends D.C.’s prestigious Sidwell Friends School).

The Obamas’ next few years in D.C. will certainly be spent in style. The $8.3 million Tudor-style home contains 9-bedrooms, 8.5-bathrooms, a cozy sitting/reading room, expansive formal gardens, and was renovated in 2011.

Inside the front door, guests are greeted by a dramatic black-and-white checked tile floor and a staircase that leads up to the second story. The dramatic details stop there, transitioning to more muted but sophisticated decor - with the second story featuring light hardwood flooring, pale grey walls, and crisp white crown-and-base molding.

In the kitchen, grey-and-white marble counter tops are framed by tall white cabinetry, state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, and is awash in sunlight pouring into the room through the tall, gothic door that sits between the kitchen and dining room.

For more dramatic fair - fitting of a family who loves to entertain - the formal dining room features a hardwood ceiling, which serves as a surprising juxtaposition against the more traditional flooring, as well as a wall of black french doors leading to a gated courtyard.

Throughout the home, classic Tudor features, like wainscoting, built-in bookshelves, and casement windows with a diamond grille pattern, add to the stately sophistication of the home.

With the Obama family named the most desirable celebrity neighbors of 2017, those hoping to score an invite to backyard barbecues better start looking for homes in Kalorama now.

Photos courtesy of Mark McFadden of McFadden Group/Washington Fine Properties.

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