I also posted this on Bloodhound Blog, here. 

And since I need plenty of input, I am posting it here on Active Rain, too

A question for other small independent brokerage owners and managers:

I have almost completed the online version policy and procedure manual for my smallish, independent brokerage office.  It's been a lot of work.  Who knew?  I ended up using a WordPress platform, since I didn't have the energy to learn all the ins and outs of designing around the wiki format.  (I had some conversations on Bloodhound a while back about setting the manual up as a wiki.)

Here's the question:  Can the online version completely replace a printed version?  Do you add a paragraph to your agent's contracts stating they have read the online manual (yeah, right) and they agree to comply with the policies and procedures?

Creating a printed version kinda defeats the purpose, though I suppose I could install one of those "Turn-Your-Blog-into-a-Book" plugins.

Thoughts, suggestions, anyone?

I'm echoing what Brian said.

If you wanna play around with the WordPress interface within the confines of a real estate industry community, this is a great idea.

Be aware that as a WordPress Multi User blog community, only the community admin can upload themes and plugins (same as a WordPress.com site).

But I'm enjoying seeing just what I can do within those limits.  :-)

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Regardless of your personal opinion about bail-outs and loan modifications (You might want to smack people who used their McMansions as ATMs machines and flippers who figured new toilets and counters equalled a $60,000 increase in value....) But  Regardless of your personal feelings....

You are going to have folks calling your office, and walking into your office wanting to talk about the new Streamlined Modification Program that kicks off December 15.

Here's one useful link I found  ( http://www.hopenow.com/upload/press_release/files/SMP%20Release%20Final.pdf )  It's a PDF from the HOPE NOW website with a pretty concise explanation, and even a flow chart...

This was posted on the local blog L A Eastside by edie.  (Yep, Northeast Los Angeles is very fortunate to be home to many edgy, local bloggers.)

I have to share it, its too good to pass up:

Dear Federal Government,
I would like to join the troubled asset relief program. My trouble is I ain't got no assets but I do have some debt I would like relief from as would the millions of low income people in this country and all the people who are losing their jobs................

Sincerely,
Broke in Los Angeles

This article in today's Los Angeles times titled "How I bought a foreclosed home"

( http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cover9-2008nov09,0,2623620.story )

seems to me to be a a fairly realistic description of a typical buyer's experience in today's market in Southern California.

Well, let's hope the part about the  broker who had recently come off of suspension by the Real Estate Department was ~not~ typical....

But sentences like these sure rang true:

"There's usually good reason many foreclosed houses languish with no buyers. They may be badly damaged or situated in places that seemed attractive only in the frenzy of a real estate bubble. ¶ The foreclosure inventory is loaded with properties far from job centers, stripped or even vandalized by previous owners or in abandoned developments with no parks, schools or even neighbors nearby. ¶ As a result, finding a decent house amid the wreckage of the real estate crash can be a long, tedious process...."

Comments, anyone?

And just to make things interesting, I am now marked with the sign.

This post should un-mark me.  :-)

Moving right along now.  

A man was in his front yard mowing grass, when his attractive blonde female neighbor, Judy, came out of her house and went straight to the mailbox. She opened it, then slammed it shut and stormed back into the house.

A little later she came out of her house again, went to the mail box, and again opened it and slammed it shut again. Angrily, back into the house she went.

As the man was getting ready to edge the lawn, she came out again, marched to the mail box, opened it and then slammed it closed harder than ever.

Puzzled by her actions the man asked her, "Is something wrong?"

To which she replied, "There certainly is! My stupid computer keeps saying, YOU'VE GOT MAIL."

Have you ever worked on a custom banner for a WordPress blog, and no matter how you tweak the padding and margin settings in the stylesheet, it just won't position properly?  Or it positions properly in Internet Explorer, but not in Firefox, or vice-versa.

Here's helpful trick:  Add the padding with a transparent image.  And Better yet:  Just make that transparency part of the banner image.

Here's how, in Photoshop:

Open your original banner image.  To view the image size, click Image -> Image Size, and make note of the Width and Height Pixel Dimensions.  After you note the dimensions, click cancel.

s

Next, create a new, blank image with a transparent background:  File -> New   Making sure to check the selection box for Transparent.  Change the Width and Height dimensions to numbers slightly larger than those of your original banner image.

Click back in the original image, to make it the active window.  Click Select -> All

Click the Move Tool

Drag the original image into the new blank file.  Position it so the amount of padding you want shows around all the sides of the image.

Save for Web in .PNG format to preserve the transparency.  Upload to the blog.

Presto!  Instant padding!  Works in all browsers.  :-)

NOTE: 

This little procedure doesn't really apply to creating banners in general. 

It's a fix to one very specific little problem:  When you have text above or below the banner (usually navigation links) and the text keeps ending up too close to the banner, and no matter how you tweak the margin and padding settings, the text just simply refuses to position itself properly.

East Los Angeles Rally Sunday!!! 1pm Lincoln Park

PROTEST in the PARK: EQUALITY not H8TE Sponsored by the Latino/a LGBT Coalition latino.lgbt. coalition@ gmail.com

This Sun Nov 9th - 1 pm East LA : Lincoln Park
3501 Valley Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90031

A peaceful rally of the people. We rally then we march. In peace and with dignity... Everyone's voice is needed. Everyone's help is needed to spread the word... REPOST - SEND TO YOUR EMAIL LISTS & CONTACTS - SEND TEXT MESSAGES

BE THERE! Bring signs, banners, whistles and some friends...

This image was taken at the marriage ceremony of two dear friends.  I have applied an "artistic filter" to the image to protect their identities. 

I must comment that this joyous celebration was attended by elderly family members, and young children.  I didn't count noses, but my impression was that heterosexual couples outnumbered gay couples.  Believe me, no one felt threatened.

The second Saturday of every month is Gallery Night in Northeast Los Angeles:  Your opportunity to explore the Galleries, Shops, Restaurants and Nightlife in the historic and eclectic neighborhoods of Northeast Los Angeles.  Maybe even purchase art for your home or office.

Tour participating galleries this Saturday, November 8 from 7PM - 10 PM.   Wrap up the evening with food and drinks at Juanita's La Casa Blue or Mr. T's Bowl.

November Highlights:

From 7pm-12am the "We Beta Foster Care Party" Come out and see our
resident artists new Murals for Fall-Winter 2008 [by Comah ] Enjoy
our Wine & Sake Bar & Free Japanese Appetizers and Pastries and music
by local band N.F.C....All for a great cause Art & Foster Children ....So
bring your pocket change to donate to Beta Foster Care because your
change can change the lives of many children.

Donated Art Selection: 100% of Sales Will be Donated to BETA Foster Care!
Designer Clothing Sale
Contemporary Graffiti art
Custom Hand Painted Bikes
Live Music by: NFC
Japanese Appetizers
Wine & Sake BAR
Pastries
@Bholanath Foto Studio & Urban Art Gallery
6042 Monte Vista St LA CA 90042
November 8th 2008
7pm - 12pm

Saturday, November 8, 7-10pm

Tickets for The Arroyo Arts Re-Discovery Tour will be available at the Arroyo Arts Collective Preview Party at Future Studio Gallery, 5558 North Figueroa Street, Highland Park, 90042. On display will be small works by many of the 140+ artists on the Re-Discovery Tour so you can begin to decide whose work you would like to see more of on the day of the Tour (November 23, 10am to 5pm). The Preview Party is free, there will be artists in attendance and snacks. Come by, check out the samples and buy your tickets!

httP;;//www.nelaart.