Where Real Estate Gets Its Dirt

RIS Media's Power Broker Reception and Dinner

logo-175x150.jpgThose of you who know RIS Media’s John Featherston and Darryl MacPherson know these guys can throw a hell of a party.

They do this by combining 3 winning ingredients;

First, you attract the biggest names in real estate. At any party these guys throw you can see the likes of Stu Siegel, Allan Dalton, and Dave Liniger rubbing elbows with big brokers and vendors from all over the country.

Next be a great host. These guys are top notch and a pure class act, plus John can tell one hell of a story! Next time you meet him have him tell you the one about him and Ozzy Osborne.

Third, add booze! These guys know the fuel that keeps this industry going.

This year their 12th Annual Power Broker Reception and Dinner and will be held on November 13th in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.

See you there!

It's only 13 days left till NAR Expo in Las Vegas and I've got questions…

narquestion.jpgSo right around the corner we have the 2007 NAR EXPO in Las Vegas, Nevada. Of course Las Vegas wasn’t NAR’s first choice, they ran into venue problems in Chicago and Las Vegas was the only town that could cover them. There have been some minor changes, mostly the Expo runs in the middle of the week instead of over a weekend. Which is fine by me, especially in Vegas, hell we pay too much for rooms as is. So the big question in my mind is—-Will the REALTORS come?

Will they come to Vegas? NAR says “YES! They will come” “It’s Vegas, of course they will come!” In fact they tell me that pre-attendance is way up over last year. When I remind them that last year was a post-Katrina New Orleans I get nothing but silence over the phone (cue crickets).

So I’ve got some questions, you can comment back or email me your responses….

Any budget cut backs this year?
Where are the demo suites this year?
Parties?

Also, anything you want to plug about your company, feel free!

Those who post might even get the secret password to the “Backstage Pass” link up on the top right hand of this page. Secret cool stuff can be found for those with an ALL ACCESS password.

CMLS 2007 LIVE COVERAGE!

nodrinks.jpgGot here Tuesday night. Downtown Seattle, nice hotel…old school. The first thing I want to report is that I was “cut-off” at the lobby bar. First time this has ever happen to me. The waitress comes over puts down my drink and tells me that per their policy this will have to be my last drink. I asked her why, she told me that it was my Xth (actual number withheld to protect the author) Tanqueray and tonic.

Dumbfounded and still feeling parched, we left for a friendlier atmosphere.

CMLS countdown…9 days..

cmls1.jpgWe just wanted to send another plug out there for this upcomming conference, CMLS. It’s being hosted in Seattle this year by NWMLS, October 10-12. Check out this website for details. Always a great time where vendors and treated like the business partners instead of being banned like lepers.

Class Act

Imagine this, you’re a real estate vendor working with a large real estate company. Once a year, “to show our appreciation” (an exact quote!) for all the help you (the Vendor) give their members/associates, they host a golf tournament.

At not just at any golf course, but according to Golf Digest Magazine one of the best of the Top 100 Courses in the United States. Did I mention that lunch is served? Complimentary drinks on the course, and an open bar waiting for you after the 18th hole? All to show “our appreciation.”

Dreaming? Green with envy? Or just can’t believe that an organziation like this exists in real estate??

This is exactly what happened last week in Sedailia, CO at the Sanctuary Golf Course.

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Who would be the brain child behind this spectacular event? Her name is Kristi Graning. Kristi happens to be the Senior Vice President, Information Technology and eBusiness for RE/MAX International. Kristi wanted to put on an event that shows that RE/MAX understands and appreciates all the things their technology partners do for RE/MAX International and their associates.

In a world where many organizations restrict vendors, it’s refreshing to see a company treat their vendors partners with not only respect, but appreciation. This makes Kristi and RE/MAX one class act.

Inman Connect Recap….finally

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First off, kudos to Brad for putting together another great show. Yeah, I know Connect can be full of fringe companies and topics but you gotta love the amount of respect Brad gives these entrepreneurs. Coming from a guy who started his business in a garage I can appreciate it.

You also gotta love the city of San Francisco. The restaurants, the bars, the bums, the people, the everything. I grew up in the Mission District on 21st Street and it always feels like coming home when I drive in to the city.

The Palace Hotel, decent. The ballroom has a great vibe but the service wasn’t the greatest. The lobby bar, with its picture of the “The Pied Piper”, has a great vibe too, it was a shame someone reserved half the bar seats one night- the place is small enough already! Rooms were small but nice. Wish they had more private meeting space just too sit down. It was hard to sit down with someone without being in the open and everyone saying hi or waving.

But all the heavies were there. I caught Errol Samuelson, President of Realtor.com, and Move’s skunk works developer Curt Beardsley and the House of Shields one night. (Gotta love House of Shields, a vendor’s dream, a bar within stumbling distance when the lobby bar closes) Alan Dalton was nowhere to be seen and assumed to be in his basement with his soldering gun building the new super secret weapon for MOVE.

The Clareity boys were in full force. Someone told me that they all got black matching tailored suits from a clothing story next door to The Palace- So my nickname for Gregg (Mr. Brown), Troy (Mr. White) and Kevin (Mr. Pink) is going to be The New Reservoir Dogs.

I did see Marty Frame and John Hensley from FRNRES, along with Larry “fingers” Ross, but oddly nobody from FNRES’ MLS group. Word is that management scheduled a sales training session the same days as the conference. Must be contagious for MLS vendors because Wurzer from FBS was busy “…working on stuff our clients need”. Way to go Mike!

Jim Secord from MostHome showed up, hope he didn’t use his personal credit card to get there. And of course all the heavies from Dominion Enterprises, Andy Woolley (eN), Bob Morse (eN), Michael Hayes (eN), Jamie Clymer (Homes.com) and Dave Meyer (eN). What a bar bill!

Speaking of bar bills, for those of you who made it to the eNeighborhoods Inman After Party at Black Magic Voodoo Lounge you know what I mean when I say “OFFFF DA HOOOK!” Michael was slinging drinks like Tom Cruise in Cocktails, only without the spinning bottles and weird grin. Later even Andy “Elephant Hunter” Woolley got it to the act, mixing one of the best Tanqueray and Tonics in the city. Way to grab the right bottle Andy!

The bar was even graced by Inman’s very own Alice Myerhoff. Alice is the Sales Director for Inman News and sells advertising and conference sponsorships. Even more lovely ladies showed up as the RE/MAX International’s very own Fatima and Amy came and showed us all how RE/MAX rolls.

Plus I gotta give a big shout out to Brad Tertell from MLSNI, he loaded the jukebox with serious coin and picked out an awesome mix of tunes for the evening- Brad you might have a career as DJ if this MLSNI thing doesn’t work out!

Most of the other stories I can’t mention or don’t remember.

Even with all this we did manage to get some work done, that’s the great thing about Inman Connect, just mix and stir.

Geeking out at Inman Connect

So I’m taking the lead from Joel Burslem of Inman and signed up for a Twitter account. According to Joel…

“Twitter is a micro-blogging platform that allows you to answer the question “What are you doing?” online in 140 characters or less.

Over the last few months it has been adopted by thousands of users worldwide to let their friends know what they are up to. Check out Twittervision to see just some of the activity that is happening on the network right now.

Twitter is also a great way for you to keep in touch with colleagues, business contacts and friends at a conference like Connect.

Using your mobile phone you can SMS (text message) your location (iPhone users can use the fantastic application PocketTweets), so people can locate you in the Palace. Using Twitter, you can narrowcast your location to followers and friends so they will always be able to find you.”

So if you want to follow us at Inman Connect Conference check out our profile VendorAlley and add us a friend.

Of course we might not let you know to all the places we’ll be going….

Inman "After Party" Alert

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Just in case you missed it on the previous comment…

eNeighborhoods is having an Inman Connect “after-party” at the

Black Magic Voodoo Lounge

Special Guest Bartender – Michael Hayes
Thursday night, August 2nd
9:00 PM until Midnight
1400 Lombard Street
Just tell your taxi driver; corner of Lombard and Van Ness.

Inman Connect, next week. Is your liver ready?

Look for live coverage next week at the Inman Conference in San Francisco. We will be there to give the sights, the smells, and the schmooze that is Inman Connect.

NAR Mid Year Recap

It’s over. Here’s a just a few of the happenings, stories, news and rumors…

Getting a phone call at midnight with a voice telling us that they are sending a black, unmarked, 5 7 series BMW to pick us up in 5 minutes in front of the Omni and don’t ask any questions to the driver.

The MarketLinx party-OFF THE HOOK! These guys are starting to get a rep of throwing one of the best industry parties around.

Andy Woolley flying in from Palm Beach with Alexander Haig.

RIS Media’s Power Broker Reception- Always a great time and they sure know how to draw all the heavies in the industry.

And it looks like the lobby bar at the Marriott will be back. While revamping the old restaurant they needed to relocate it, once the rennovation is done the bar should be back in place (there is a god!)

Also, we missed you Mike.

More stuff to come…

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