Living and Working in Charleston SC

Entries from February 2007

What’s Your Favorite Thing About Living in Charleston?

February 23, 2007 · 1 Comment

For Cara and I, the first thing is that there is water everywhere.  We actually moved to Georgia for two years to live on an obscure lake not too many people had heard of called Jackson Lake.  I had always thought that if I could live on a lake and be able to walk across my front yard and step into my boat, that I would have truly arrived.  What we actually found was that once we had explored the lake, it was pretty boring after that.  In the Charleston area and in South Carolina, there is an endless variety of places to explore.  We have a 17 1/2 foot runabout that we trailer around, and we’ve been to Lake Greenwood, Lake Murray in the Columbia Area, in addition to the many waterways in the Charleston area.  Lake Greenwood, we had one of our best vacations ever….we stumbled across a campground right on the lake, where we could step from our camp site right onto the boat.   We’re not really campers, I think we camped out three times the whole time the boys were living with us.  But these were some of our favorites.  It was amazing to go out and play boat for awhile, find a swimming spot, or go skiing, and then come back and cook dinner over a wood fire.  It didn’t matter what we were cooking, it always tasted incredible.  We’d hang around the camp ground for awhile, then get back on the boat and play in the water some more.  Our last night, it poured rain all night long, and all four of us were crammed into this so-called three man tent.  It was pretty uncomfortable, but it’s still a warm memory.  Zachary, our youngest, was pretty figity, and I probably slept about 30 minutes all night.  Jason and Cara were out completely.  As soon as the sun came up, I was ready to get on the  road. 

The first weekend or two we had the boat, we most of the dumb stuff new boaters do..well I should say “I”.   We ran out of gas the first weekend in the middle of the intracoastal waterway.  The boat that stopped to help us had a dingy almost the size of our boat, and they handed down the gas tank to the dingey, which I dumped into my tank while trying not to bang into the other boat.  Then, of course we had to find a sand bar with the bottom of the boat.  Thankfully, it was deep enough that the jar wasn’t too bad…no one was hurt…just scared.  We were able to back right off of it.   I remember watching the shoreline get closer, not realizing we were in dangerously shallow water.  And of course, there was trying to get the boat of the trailer with the tie down straps still on.  And finally, it took me a couple of years for this one…putting the boat in the water without the plug.  That was fun.  Had six people in the boat of course.  I managed to jump out of the boat with the solid brass plug, screwing it into its whole without dropping it into the ten foot deep murky water. 

Anyway, we not only enjoy boating, but just driving around the area…driving down I26 and seeing the Ashley River on the right as you see the Cosgrove Rd exit, and then the new Cooper River Bridge on the left.  Being able to go to Folly Pier any time we want, walk to the end of the pier, and then go for a walk on the beach.  Later, stopping for lunch on the way home at the Lost Dog Cafe or California Dreaming Restaurant.  The Crab Shack in Folly is fun when you can sit outside.  The food isn’t that great, but it’s nice to watch the people walk by.  And we like the peanuts. 

And of course, there is the surfing.  Not something that Cara and I enjoy together very often although she’s gone with me a couple of times and watched from the car.  Surfing changed my life last year.  Folly Beach surf is certainly not California or Hawaii, but it’s ridable much of the time, and when there’s a storm out in the Gulf, it gets pretty good….not for me because I’m just a beginner…but it’s fun to watch the experienced surfers catch the big ones.  I’ve been out in head high surf and just get beat up.  Maybe by the end of this summer I’ll be able to handle it. 

 Well, that’s my entry for today. Hope you enjoyed the journey with me.  Please share yours. 

Categories: Having Fun

Great New Home Prices in Weatherstone-Summerville

February 22, 2007 · Leave a Comment

My client, (I’ll call her Cheryl), and I searched high and low for something that would get her everything she wanted, for as close to her payment goal as possible.  She wanted about 1500 square feet, a large master bedroom, a large (12ft) living room wall for her shrunk (that’s a cabinet/entertainment center from Germany), single story, fireplace, screened in porch.  Once we started looking, Cheryl also expressed that the asthetics surrounding the community were very important to her.  Also, she would much prefer a backyard that didn’t back up to six other houses. 

We saw Centex’s Fairfax plan last week, but Cheryl did not like the road approaching the community in Liberty Hall.  Same thing in the Woodlands at Wescott.  I call it “sprawly” with a mixed bag of buildings, including mobile homes…just not very appealing. Also, the Fairfax out in Liberty Hall was $170,000.  It had everything she wanted including a very nice lot, but the price just wouldn’t work, and really didn’t want to have to settle on the neighborhood asthetics. 

We tried everywhere, Harbor Homes, the floor plan just didn’t flow the way she wanted.  Beazer, nice Adams plan, but the living room didn’t have the big wall she needed.  Brentwood, pricing was almost right with the discounts, the plan we were looking at was smaller, and they wanted a $3000 deposit, $2000 more than any other builder.  Jessco, nothing with her price and square footage.  We knew it was out there somewhere, or maybe something would fall through. 

We started the day yesterday, having done our math, with a goal of $168,000, and Weatherstone delivered at $163,500 including upgraded cabinets, carpet and appliances, screeened in patio, fireplace, smooth ceilings, additional concrete patio, and some lighting upgrades.  She’ll still need to add window blinds and ceiling fans after closing.  There was no lot premium for the very large lot backing up to woods.  The only thing we didn’t add was the $3000 for the brick veneer in the front. 

I had sold a resale Fairfax before.  What people really like about it, other than the cost per square foot is the way the space flows.  The open living/dining/kitchen area is L-shaped so you have the open feeling, without feeling like you’re in a warehouse.  It has a separate dining room, which can be configured as a bonus room or office…but it closes in the hallway, so most people leave it as a kitchen…and you can still use it as an office if you want. 

The neighborhood is located behind the fairly new Target on 17A, just two minutes from I26.  There’s one place on Sheep Island Road that looks a little dumpy, but there are two other entrances into the community that look  quite nice.  The nicest movie theater in town is located in the same area along with lots of shopping, so you’ll rarely ever have to leave the area for necessities.  There are also Charleston Single Style homes in the same area for sale.  Please contact me to solve your new construction puzzle. 

Don’t want to forget the schools.  Elementary and Middle are Sangaree, both our sons went there before we moved across town, very nice.  And for High School, it’s Stratford right now, but will be the new Cane Bay High School soon, all Berkeley County.  Check www.myscschools.com for specific school data. 

Categories: Charleston Neighborhoods

A Couple of More Thoughts on New Construction

February 21, 2007 · 5 Comments

Some of you read my review on Centex’s new community, Carolina Bay, and expressed that you had owned Centex homes, and that you would not buy one again.  (BTW, the comments came in emails, not blog comments.  It would be great if you’d make your comments on the blog where eveyone could see them.)  Or that you were surprised that the review was so positive.  Perhaps some clarification would be helpful.  I think that new construction quality across the board ranges from poor to average.  If you think about it, why should we find anything in the walk-thru inspection?  Why doesn’t the builder complete a thorough inspection and catch everything?  I mean, when you buy a toaster or a television, do you hire someone at your expense to inspect it for you?  Obviously not.  You simply expect to plug it in and use it.  If there is a problem with it, you take it back…and you may not even want to exchange it for the same model.  You might want a refund so maybe you can buy a different brand.  Having said that, consumers need to deal with the reality as it exists today, not as we think it should be.  There are production builders that I would only consider as an absolute last result.  I’ve never sold any of their homes, or even shown them, because of what I’ve seen visiting thier construction sites.  Why ask for trouble?  So, comparitively speaking, I would rather see someone purchase a Weiland, Centex, Brentwood, or Harbor home, because I’ve seen inspection reports both new, and after they’ve been used for a few years.  I don’t have enough information to comment on Beazer.  They sell a lot of houses in Charleston.  As does KB.  As does D. R. Horton.  Anyone have anything to say about any of the builders mentioned???

Categories: Uncategorized

Surfing and Getting Healthy in Charleston

February 15, 2007 · 5 Comments

Hello All.  To those of you up North freezing your butts off, nah, nah, nah.  We had a horrible cold snap this week down to 35 this morning, but yesterday it was a balmy 68 degrees F.  Too much serious stuff on the blog this week, time to have some fun.  I’ve shared this with many of you, but I thought it would be good to put this out there. 

A friend of mine, some of you might know him, B. H. Rader, invited me to go out surfing with him last summer with some friends from Church.  I took him up on it…he let me borrow his 9 foot something long board….and was instantly hooked.  It had to have been funny, or maybe sad to watch.  I was tipping the scales at about 250, and after about 20 minutes, it felt like there were these useless hunks of meat hanging off my shoulders.  I was spent, but undeterred.  B. H. took me out a couple of more times letting me use his board, and once I had a nice check come in, bought one he had sitting in his office, 9 ft 1″, really thick and wide, just right for my big self. 

Well, I really wanted to get into this, and it was really tough paddling around all that weight.  So I started going to the beach 3 days a week for as long as I could stand it and still feel like I had enough strength to not get hurt.  Then, started real slow, running so I could ditch some of this weight.   So, between paddling my butt off, and running a few days a week, by August/September, I was down to 200, and then finally 195. 

Surfing is a lot harder than it looks, and there’s no way to learn without just going out there and working it.  Each trip, I’d have something new to be excited about.  First, I was able to stand up for  the first time.  Eventually, was able to make my first turn instead of coming straight in.  You don’t have a lot of time to set up at Folly most days, so it was pretty exciting to be able to turn.  And a lot of the time, it’s just like a big washing machine out there, and I’d just go out just for the workout.  And what a workout.  There were times when I’d have to walk up the beach three or four times after being drug downwind several hundred yards. 

Anyway, surfing changed my life.  My back is much better not carrying around so much weight.  More energy.  Look better, more confident.  Had to go out and buy some cheap pants to wear to work, all the old ones way to big.  Fit into some pants hadn’t worn in years, so that was good.  But mostly just stoked about the water warming up again, not brave enough to go out in a wet suit.  Soon, it’ll be two three days a week out at the wash out again, knocking heads with the younger kids trying to stay out of their way.  They’ve been pretty tolerant of this old fart with his huge 9 foot monstrosity. 

Maybe by the end of this summer, we’ll go out and get me some new dress clothes and wear something besides khakis and golf shirts.  Want to make sure the weight is going to stay off first But what would really be cool would be able to work into a shorter board.  It’s like turning a battleship on that monster board of mine.  We’ll see.  And if you want to give it a try, let me know.  Between B. H. and I, we might be able to hook you up with a ride.  There’s almost always something worth riding at Folly, other than low tide.  Just before high tide and then for about another hour or so, it’s usually good enough for beginners.  It’s harder when it’s real disorganized, but at least you get to be out there, paddling around, and working off some of that winter blubber, and on your coordination.  Hope to see you out there. 

Categories: Having Fun

Realtors. Trained Professionals? Or Licensed Hacks?

February 14, 2007 · 2 Comments

When I was training to pass my licensing exam, our text referred to this article.  Looking for fodder for marketing copy, I searched the internet, and state websites for similar articles and came up with nothing.  Actually, it took a few hours to find this article.   

So I’m curious, do most real estate purchasers feel good about the service they received from their real estate agent?  Because written evidence of complaints is decidedly absent.  Even this report is light on the numbers.  I mean, they are saying what the most common complaints are without really saying anything about how prevalent they are.  It’s simply a fact that most real estate legislation starts with the licensing commission, which is made up of real estate agents and real estate attorneys mostly.  And the complaints are managed by the same office.  I spoke to the attorney at the licensing office that handles complaints, and he said most of what he saw was mostly the result of things being missed on the inspection, and that in most of those cases, the real estate agent helped with the selection of the inspector…so the customer suspected some sort of collusion.  I don’t make any money being a reporter, so I didn’t follow through on compiling the list and generating a well researched article.  It would have take probably about 20 hours to do that, which I just don’t have to spare. 

Around the office, I hear everyone’s horror stories about their worst deal.  If you could help me, that would be great.  On my team, we are constantly on the lookout for how to adjust our standard practices to try our best to make sure everything goes smooth, and the customer is left with the impression that they recieved insanely great customer service. But the reality is, we don’t really run into that many problems.  So we don’t have much material on which to base trouble shooting. 

So, if you could tell us about your experiences, that would help everyone try to avoid them.  We have about 100 visitors/day to this blog, and it would be very helpful if we could hear from you. 

Real Estate Council Compiles List of Consumer Complaints Against Agents
by Realty Times Staff

The Real Estate Council of British Columbia, the Canadian equivalent of a state real estate commission, has compiled a list of the most typical complaints consumers have against real estate professionals, with ignorance and misrepresentation topping the list. The list was published in the May/June issue of Outlook, the in-house publication of the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials, based in
Montgomery, Ala.,. The list was compiled from a focus group hosted by the B.C. Real Estate Council. According to the Council, the major points of contention between consumers and real estate professionals include: ·  Ignorance or misrepresentation of property features. The Council warned that, “licensees should verify facts provided by the seller or the listing information, especially in regard to square footage or items remaining on the property.” ·  Unwillingness to release seller from listing contract. Said the Council, “Consumers wish for simpler dissolution of the listing contract when the licensee they hired provides inadequate service, such as insufficient advertising or lack of communications. ·  Poor drafting of contracts. “Contracts often contain ’subject to inspection’ and similar clauses which leave consumers feeling vulnerable. Others create logistical problems by setting completion and possession dates on the same day.” Also listed among the grievances was: ·  Misinterpretation or failure to communicate material information, such as what fees are for in the transaction. ·  Mortgage fraud, including brokers falsifying documents. ·  Withholding deposits without having adequately pre-explained the terms of the deposit. ·  Negligent property management. ·  Difficult transaction closings. ·  Lack of research assistance to help chase down government records. The Council also said a major concern was “Self Interest.” Said the Council, “Consumers’ perception is that licensees’ advice and actions are influenced more by self-interest than out of concern for the client (e.g. pressuring a client to buy more expensive property simply to increase commission).” To subscribe to Outlook, contact ARELLO at: 334 260 2902. Published: July 6, 2000 

Categories: Make Your Move - Charleston Real Estate Problems, Tips

New Contruction in Charleston

February 14, 2007 · Leave a Comment

New Construction Quality Varies wildly, depending on who is managing the projects and who is actually doing the work.  Some sales people are better than others at being upfront with you about quality and about time frames. 

Please tell us about your experiences, good and bad. 

There are two rules, that if you follow them, you’ll have a much better experience.  First, no matter who the builder is, and what their ratings are, YOU MUST TAKE COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY FOR QUALITY CONTROL.  You don’t know if they are trying out some new subs on your house, or if there is a new project manager working your street.  Second, if timeframe is critical to you, do not put a contract in on a home that isn’t built yet.  JUST DON’T DO  IT!

About half the time I’ve worked with homes that are’nt built yet, there have been problems with timing and quality. Sometimes very serious problems.  And the worst problems were with custom homes.  I could throw out a lot of suspicions as to what is the root cause, but there is really no point.  It’s not very constructive to say don’t buy a new home….all homes were new at some point.  And the problem isn’t just with production built homes.  So I can’t say that spending the extra money for custom equates to spot on quality. 

With most products you buy, the production process is very supervised, and oversight is pretty straightforward.  Most manufacturers have adopted pretty strict quality checks and we have grown accustomed to pretty consistent quality products.  Products are manufactured indoors and operations are fairly repetitive. 

With home construction, you have several variables.  They are being built outdoors from organic products that flex and change shape with heat and humidity.  The work is being performed by workers earning not a lot more than minimum wage, when you take into account inclement weather during which time they don’t get paid.  And project managers and municipal building inspectors work very hard and are spread pretty thin. 

What’s the morale of the story?  Hire a home inspector.  Hire the best real estate agent you can find, not the first person that answers your call.  And make sure you understand the factors that are beyond the builder’s and sales agent’s control.  Chances are, the builder’s sales contract does not have any teeth in it for you if there are avoidable delays, and the consequences if you don’t come through on your side will be very clear, probably cash money. 

I have had great experiences with punch lists, and horrible ones.  Thank goodness for home inspectors that are masters of minutia.  The one’s I’ve worked with rarely miss a thing. 

You builders out there, if you’re one of the good guys, my hats off to you.  I know you have a tough job.  If you’re mad at me, sorry.  I can only relay my own personal experiences and I’ll say this, the people I’ve dealt with at Brentwood Homes in Highwood Plantation have been flawless.  The punch lists were very manageable and followed through upon very thoroughly.  And every time I have someone looking for new construction that’s close to what you offer, I check the MLS and make a call to see what you have avaiable. 

I just had a client write a contract on a Centex Home in Carolina Bay, and you’ll be getting the blow by blow on that one.  The good, the bad and the ugly. 

Please share your experiences with us.  We want to hear from you!

Categories: Charleston Neighborhoods · Make Your Move - Charleston Real Estate Problems, Tips

OK, So What the Heck is a “Lens”?

February 13, 2007 · Leave a Comment

For an example, visit www.squidoo.com/move2charleston, or www.squidoo.com/obviousadams.  A lens is simply a web page that you put up on the internet about a particular area of interest, so that people that are looking for information can hear what you have to say.  So, it’s both an opportunity to express youself, and learn what others have to say about soming that you’re interested in buying perhaps, or a topic about which you are passionnate.  Setting up your own LENS is easy and free.  Just visit one of mine above and you’ll see on the right hand side, MAKE YOUR OWN PAGE LIKE THIS.  In minutes, you can have your own web page.  Until a friend of mine helped me out, I had no idea how easy it was to set up a blog.  Visit www.wordpress.com.  It’s easy and it’s free.  So, start expressing yourself, and hear what others have to say. 

Categories: Business Builders · Having Fun

Charleston Restaurants, some new favorites

February 12, 2007 · 1 Comment

One of Cara and I’s favorite things about Charleston are the Restaurants.  It’s been awhile since I wrote “Ten Sure Bets for Restuarants in Charleston’s Historic District” so I wanted to go ahead a briefly mention some favorites we’ve added over the years. 

Tristan is a recent addition.  You can find my review on www.charlestondining.com and www.charlestonsfinest.com.  We happen to be there the week Wheel of Fortune was in town and just as an extra bonus, Pat Sadjak just happened to be sitting right behind me.  No, Vanna White was not with him.  We relished many of the courses across the board, from soup to dessert.  The She-Crab Soup and the Crab Cakes were both over par.  Pat and I both had the cowboy prime ribeye, although I never mustered up the courage to ask him how his was, mine was big. 

Another favorite is 39 Rue de Jean, which means 39 John St., how clever.  They have my favorite Caesar Salad ever.  Cara and I have never been dissappointed.  We’d keep going there just for the bread and butter.  And for seafood, Coast next door has performed consistently well for us. 

Central Grille in Summerville is a new addition.  We like sitting outside best, when weather permits.  My understanding is that one of the chefs from The Mustard Seed went out and started his own restaurant.  I’ve never been dissappointed.  Summerville needed another decent restaurant….you can only do Oscar’s so many times. 

We’ve always like the Mustard Seed in Summerville, and always enjoy the food.  We don’t enjoy the experience however, unless the weather outside doesn’t require the inside air to be controlled.  The facility is not the best.  Don’t let this dissuade you however.  The food is terrific.  The have a crab cake for lunch on slaw that is a delight. 

A helpful hint, if you’re going to a seafood restaurant, find out if they have real butter for the baked potatoes.  To me, there’s not too many things as dissappointing as paying fifty bucks for dinner, and having to settle for margerine on anything.  How much money can they really be saving, I wonder.  So, avoid Gilligans…all three locations…unless you prefer margerine. 

Also, A. W. Shucks and Bubba Gumps can be adequate on a good night, but you can do better for the money.  Go to Hank’s or Magnolias.  You’ll pay about the same money and have better food and surroundings.  If you’re really going to treasure the memories of your kids imitating Jenny yelling “Run Forrest Run.” then by all means, indulge yourself.   

Categories: Having Fun

Carolina Bay Charleston by Centex Homes Salt Grass

February 12, 2007 · 3 Comments

Had the opportunity to check out Salt Grass at Carolina Bay by Centex Homes as the result of a client from Chicago that was purchasing a Colleton Floor Plan.  First, the location is wonderful.  It’s located almost equidistant from Main Rd, the road to Kiawah and Wadmalaw Islands, and I526.  So it’s probably about a 20-30 minute drive to either Kiawah Island or Folly Island beaches.  If you’re not from the area, it’s important to know that Route 17, the main North/South Rd through Charleston is about 10-15 minutes to Folly Beach.  Kiawah Island is 19 miles from 17.  The location is also very convenient to downtown, just a few minutes outside 526. 

Centex has done a wonderful job preserving the greenery, with many preserved green spaces.  Whether this is by choice or by law doesn’t matter, the result is going to be quite beautiful I think.  Both Grand Oaks and Wescott are pretty stripped out by comparison.  And houses backing up to green space are the exception rather than the rule in these other areas.  There is still plenty of selection of pond or wood view lots as of right now in Salt Grass.  It was pretty busy out there, so I’m expecting that the best lots in Salt Grass will be gone in a few weeks.  The subdivision features Charleston Style Homes.  Floor Plans and Elevations can be found at www.carolinabaycharleston.com.  I was pretty pleased with the standard features, especially having visited The Woodlands in Wescott Plantation.  The home would be pretty well finished with no additions at all, and so the final price doesn’t need to be far off from the base.  The only exception to this is that the standard garage is a one car garage, and the 2 car garage upgrade is over $7800.  Also, most of the lots in Salt Grass had at least $5000 premiums, so the bottom line for the home we put under contract was a base price of $325,400 and a subtotal price with structural options was about $352,000.  I think my clients will add about $15,ooo in options, mostly flooring, but the home would be fine at $352k.  Included are features you’d expect in a premium home, solid surface counters, some wood and tile floors, no vinyl floors, crown moulding, sodded and landscaped front and back yards, gas log fireplace, gas heat and hot water.  There’s even an inline hot water heater, which provides an unlimited supply of hot water without paying to keep all that water at 110 degrees. 

One word of warning.  Well…more than one.  Read the contract very carefully.  Once you pull the trigger and sign, you’re done.  You have little or no recourse if things don’t go your way with the completion dates, or the quality of the house.  Centex Charleston has impressed J. D. Power with their quality…you just want to make sure that what they promise in the contract matches your expectations.  The home is considered “complete” per the contract when they have a certificate of occupancy, and so they can begin assessing the $50/day fee at their discretion, if you are expecting cosmetic matters, or things the inspectors missed to be taken care of prior to closing.  So, basically, a government entity is enmeshed in contract terms…not the best terms for the buyer in my humble opinion.  It’s not a terrible thing.  And I think that Centex probably goes above and beyond in the interest of their customer service ratings…but you need to know that such generosity is solely at their discretion.  You might be asking, does the $50/day fee go both ways?  No it does not.  The contract is quite clear on this.  Centex will not be responsible for any costs you incur as the result of any delays.

Having said all that, everything will probably be fine as long as delays won’t cause you and your family too much difficulty.  If you are selling your house, and you have 2 dogs, 3 cats a newborn and a five year old living in The Suburban Lodge or base housing, you might want to find a resale in Schieveling Plantation.  It’s more per square foot, but this small community looks over an Ashely River Marsh off 61.  It’s probably the only community I know nearby that offers Charleston Style homes with Cement Plank Siding. 

Anotehr word of helpful advice is that you want to have the home inspected pre-drywall by a certified home inspector, and then again at the end.  A structural inspection is good too ever earlier, but maybe a little overkill. 

Lastly, do hire an agent to help you.  I did a pricing study, and it appears to be pretty reasonable as of this writing, but the market is changing rapidly, as I expect will Centex’s prices, once they have the plat recorded and have more solid completion dates. 

Some Thoughts on New Construction in General, not that it’s bad, but just that you need to know so your plans don’t get mucked up.  All new construction requires a strong stomach and flexibility in the best of circumstances, and some builders are better than others at finishing details.  Subcontractors, generally speaking, are difficult to control, the product is being assembled outdoors out of organic(wood) components.  The weather in the Charleston Area is extremely unpredictable where it’s not uncommon to have heavy rain every day for weeks.  With track builders, their success and profits are based on efficiency.  I can tell you based on having shown literally hundreds of houses this year to dozens of actual and prospective buyers, that abou 80% of buyers want a lot with some privacy, especially in the back yard.  A smaller percentage are OK with backing up to what seems like 8 more houses peering onto their back patio.  The bottom line with new construction is that you’re going to have to be flexible with your timing.  And there are probably going to be some final details that aren’t completed on closing day, no matter how hard you try.  You can’t tie the painter down and threaten to beat him to a pulp if he doesn’t get everything done perfectly and on time, much as you’d like to.    And neither can I. 

Categories: Charleston Neighborhoods

Everyone’s an Expert

February 12, 2007 · 1 Comment

Everyone’s an Expert (about something)   by Seth Godin is available at www.squidoo.com as a free download.  If you own a business, and one of the ways your customers find businesses like yours in on the internet, then it’s worth a trip.  The download is 32 pages, and has some interesting insites into how people find the information they need before making a purchasea.  Although I have no way of validating it, I strongly suspect he is really onto something.  What is it that you really want when you’re trying to make a decision?  Isn’t what you really want is unfiltered opinions from real people?  Testimonials are fine so far as they go, but what salesperson or business doesn’t have two or three happy customers.  How do you tell that they deliver good quality consistently?  Blogs are the first generation, but second generation communication may be “Lenses”.  We’ll see.  http://www.squidoo.com/pages/EveryoneIsAnExpert.pdf 

Cheers!!!

Categories: Business Builders