Don Campbell is the president of REIN (Real Estate Investment Network) and the Best-Selling author of “Real Estate Investing in Canada.” He has been a friend and mentor to me. I’m very pleased to share this coverage about his life and motivation. He started in 1983 when fashion was a whole lot different!

http://www.albertaprimetime.com/Stories.aspx?pd=1128&FlashVars=Video/TB_061010.flv

“Most successful people didn’t achieve their distinction through luck or unique advantage.
They focused on, and developed, the opportunity that was right in front of them.”
Don R. Campbell

By Rebecca Fine

Quick! What’s the very first thing that springs into your mind when you read or hear the M-word? (M-o-n-e-y.)

For many people that first thing isn’t necessarily pleasant. And for others there’s a fleeting flicker of delight as they imagine having plenty of it, winning the lottery or the like, which just as quickly fades into a more familiar “not enough” feeling instead.

It’s not surprising. After all, most of us have been carefully trained, taught, even indoctrinated our whole lives to believe that money is scarce, that it’s hard to come by, that only people who have any ever get more, that it’s the cause of all the world’s troubles … and on and on and on.

Loads of heavy baggage packed with negativity on the simple subject of something we really cannot do without.

And it’s all just so SERIOUS and HEAVY and … ugh.

So since we already KNOW that we attract/create our own experience through our thinking, how about we just UNpack some of that mental baggage and ditch some of the seriousness so we can stop creating and attracting more stuff like THAT?

How about we just lighten up and have some FUN with all of this? When you’re having fun your thoughts aren’t focused on lack of anything, right?

(And believe me, when you get the hang of The Science of Getting Rich and start to see your life transforming in amazing ways, it’s FUN!)

For myself, I have decided that whenever the M-word comes up in conversation or my own thinking in any way that doesn’t thoroughly delight me, I am going to quietly, secretly substitute another word — a silly word that has NONE of those negative connotations.

I’ve been doing this for a while now with family and friends, too (not just quietly and secretly), and it’s not only fun, it highlights immediately just how silly all the negativity is.

I highly recommend the practice!

You can choose any word that strikes you as ridiculous. For me, the funniest word in the English language (and I don’t know why) is this:

Underpants.

(I know, I know. Totally juvenile. Pretty much the humor of a seven-year-old. And that’s probably why it works so well!)

Try it for yourself:

• “I’d like to have a new car, but I don’t have enough underpants.”

• “Invest in THAT? No way! It’s too risky. I could lose all my underpants.”

• “Do you think underpants grow on trees?”

• “I like the job but the underpants are awful.”

• “Underpants can’t buy happiness.”

• “He’s got more underpants than he knows what to do with.”

• “Never throw good underpants after bad.”

• “Underpants aren’t everything, you know.”

• “I wouldn’t do that for love nor underpants.”

• “Always be sure to save some underpants for a rainy day.”

• “No matter how hard I try or what I do, I just NEVER have enough underpants.”

Oh, I could go on and on! In fact, a couple of days ago I introduced this scathingly brilliant concept to my mom and brother, and we sat out on Mom’s patio playing with it until we had tears streaming down our faces from laughing at ourselves so hard.

(I suppose goofiness runs in the family. Later that day when Mom said she was getting ready to throw a load of “delicates” in the washer we accused her of money laundering.)

And my friend Alexandra (Dr. Gayek, founder of The Science of Being Well Network) and I have giggled ourselves silly on the subject of abundance of all kinds by substituting my nutty word for almost ANY word having to do with wealth or health.

Ah, yes: We live in a world of infinite underpants!

But when I told her I was going to share this craziness with you she hesitated a moment and then asked, “Really?”

“Sure,” I said. “We just get so SERIOUS about all this stuff. But you and I both know it’s so much better to let it be FUN.”

“Well, you’re right,” she conceded. “But Rebecca, just try to be … brief.”

Ack.

Yes, she really said that — and cracked herself up laughing. Took me a moment to get it. You know, a pun truly IS the lowest form of humor … ;-D

* * * * *

Rebecca Fine is the founder of The Science of Getting Rich Network where you can download your free copy of the amazing 1910 forgotten classic, The Science of Getting Rich. http://www.scienceofgettingrich.net   

©2006 Certain Way Productions Inc.

Recently I got an email from a fellow who bought and read my book. Following my advice he purchased himself a very nice DSLR camera and took a great set of photos of his properties. Problem was, the size of the .jpgs from his DSLR were too large to upload to any of his sites.

This is what I suggested.

Here are a couple of free solutions.

1. If you have a Facebook account you can upload the photos there – as long as they are under 5 MB. Facebook automatically resizes them. Once they are up, you can right click them in Facebook and resave them in the new smaller version. It can take a while and occassionally FB saves them as bitmaps, but it should work for you. It’s also a great way to show others what you are up to.

If you are on Facebook, click the link to my page and “friend” me. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=804255192

2. I use this free download program called “Irfanview.” http://www.irfanview.com/  It does all the basics really well and with simplicity. It adjusts the colour and light and shadows, plus is resizes and even has a simple paint program in it. Truly, it’s all most any of us ever need.

There are expensive options like Photoshop, if you’re interested in that learning curve. It’s an amazing program, but may be a lot more than you want to spend time and resources on.

Good luck! I hope that helps. If you have any more questions, just let me know.

Cheers!

Carla

Two days ago I spent the morning sharing my tips with the Royal LePage Triland agents in London, Ontario. What a great group of agents! They were really warm, friendly and fun.

Brenda Michael is new agent and had this to say afterwards:

Good morning, Carla.  I wanted to thank you for the presentation you gave to Royal LePage Triland on Monday morning.  I learned so much….and for starters I now realize how important it is to get a better camera than the one I currently use!  Wow, what a difference!

Brenda Michael

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

Phone: 519-672-9880

Email: brendamichael@royallepage.ca

Thank you Brenda! If you are looking to buy or sell in the London area, give Brenda a call.

A couple of weeks ago I taught a credit course for RAGBOS (REALTORS’® Association of Grey Bruce & Owen Sound). I met Charlene Randle-Clayton at my afternoon session in Hanover. She is a vibrant, energetic go-getter. She is active promoting her properties and enjoys a side business selling Mary Kay cosmetics. It’s always fun to meet other people who truly see the sky as the limit!

Hi Carla,

Just touching base following your course to RAGBOS REALTORS® last month. I thoroughly enjoyed and have put your tips to good use. I have also obtained some new listings that were previously listed with other Realtors and the Sellers couldn’t believe the difference in the quality of my photos and the care that I took in showing their properties.

I view properties through a different “lens now” and spend even more time taking photos. If the weather isn’t going to show the property in the best light, I always come back on a different day when the sun is shining, especially waterfront photos. Encouraging sellers to participate by providing some of their best photos can save time as well, especially of the exterior of a property. 

Charlene Randle-Clayton, REALTOR®, Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker The Property Shoppe Real Estate Brokerage

Kincardine, Ontario, Canada

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Grey Bruce area, give Charlene a call. She works with her husband Lynn Clayton, REALTOR®, Broker. 

Their motto is: “The Power of Two = Assured Results for You”.

http://www.kincardinehomes4u.com/profile.html

Get Buyers to say YES with Great Exteriors

The First Impression: Yes or Yikes? 

* * * Thank you to all the great agents with R.A.G.B.O.S. who joined my classes in Owen Sound and Hanover two weeks ago. I had a fun time working with each of you.

* * * Next week I’m looking forward to meeting the Royal LePage crowd with L.S.T.A.R. in London.

Too many real estate ad photographs turn buyers/renters away and too many agents don’t know it. I teach amateur photographers simple tips to take ad photos that ATTRACT offers.

The exterior image of your ad is the first and only moment you have to attract the buyer to look further at the interior. Pity the seller trying to get a good offer based on THIS first impression.

“A picture paints a thousand words.” I’m afraid to ask what this picture is saying.

Real estate ad photos are a 24/7 Open House. The exterior image is the first and the most crucial. A good exterior will determine if buyers will click to look further at the interior or move on to the next ad.

Make sure your exterior photo shows the front door. Buyers will feel welcome and imagine walking up and walking in. Buyers will
start to think of it as their own home.

A Front Yard to Make Anyone Look Twice

Thank you Robin North of Dramatic Spaces for sharing your great advice on how to prepare the home’s exterior to sell. http://www.dramaticspaces.com/

At this time of year, spring, many homeowners are working on their plantings and lawns. What do you do if you don’t have a green thumb and you have a lawn that needs to be revitalized? This great recipe called “fat grass” will give your yard a thick, luscious look that will have the neighbours envious. If you are selling your home it will boost your home’s value. Don’t be put off by the name. It does exactly as the name says.

I have used the fat grass recipe and it works wonders. When you are using the driveway as your hard surface I suggest you put a tarp down or a large piece of plastic to keep it contained. It is not necessary if you want to water down the driveway, however if you live in an area where there is a watering ban you can simply pick up the tarp and shake the excess dirt away on your lawn.

This is a cheaper solution than buying sod, so depending on your budget or time this can be a great solution for the DIY homeowner.

Once your lawn is back in shape you can put a planter or 2 at your entranceway and place a hanging basket inside. How simple is that!

To take it a step further, you can use a hanging basket, but this time take it out of the basket and place it in the centre of your vase. I like to use a tall plant in the centre to give it height. If you want a lower profile, just make sure your centre plant is taller than your surrounding plants. Now take several cascading or lower plants and fill them around your centre plant. Don’t forget to take these out of the baskets.

Keep in mind that containers need to be watered frequently unless you use a product that retains more moisture made specifically for container plantings (of course you can’t do this if you are simply placing the basket in the container). You also need to keep in mind how much sun your entrance will get. Use shade plants if it is on the shady side and sun plants for a sunny area.

Now all you need to do is make sure the area is clean, no clutter and without a lot of expense or effort the front of your home can be stunning. The simple details are usually what makes the most impact. If you are selling you want visitors to want to get out of their cars to see more.

(C) 2010 Robin North

Thank you Robin.

“Cooking With Sin” Betty’s Chicken Cacciatore

One of my side projects has been to collect recipes with liquer. On my blog www.CookingWithSin.com there is a great story that tells how my grandmother coined the phrase “Cooking With Sin.” Click the link for the full story & all the photos.

This first recipe is from that post. Betty is my mom! Enjoy!

Betty’s Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients:

14 fresh button mushrooms
2 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil
7-8 chicken thighs
3/4 cup flour
sea salt
pepper
Herbes de provence
1 tbsp margarine or butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large can (796 ml/28 oz) chopped tomatoes
1 can (398 ml/14 oz) chicken broth
1/2 cup red vino (we used a mini bottle of French Cross Dry Red)
2 tbsp parsley
A sprinkle of oregano or marjoram
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
A few fresh basil leaves torn up by hand
A handful of cherry tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Roast the mushrooms. Place them caps down on a non-stick baking pan. Sprinkle them with 2 tbsp olive oil, pepper and sea salt and bake at 375° F for 20 minutes.

2. While the mushrooms are baking, roll the chicken thighs in a mix of flour with salt, pepper & oregano. Brown them in butter to seal in the juices.

3. As the chicken is browning, sprinkle with Herbes de Provence. Take the meat out when browned, and stir the chopped onion in the meat drippings with 2 tsp of olive oil. Fry them for 4-5 minutes, until they are soft and clear, then stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add the vino to the onions & garlic and stir making sure to stir up the browned bits. Then add the can of chopped tomatoes followed by the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the temperature and cook for 10 minutes.

5. Return the chicken to the tomato sauce adding the parsley and the oregano or marjoram and the mushrooms. A few of the basil leaves can be added at this time too. Bring the entire mix to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20 – 25 minutes until the chicken is tender. If all goes well, it will be beautifully tender.

6. When serving, place cherry tomatoes loosely and sprinkle the basil leaf pieces on top.

We served it on Kjielkje (recipe in the link) sprinkled with fresh parmesan, but it works well on rice or on a bed of fresh spinach leaves.

For the story and lots of great pics, click here…

http://cookingwithsin.com/2010/01/12/grandma-started-it/

Cheers – from me and my family!

Carla

Carla Johnson
www.CarlaJohnson.ca
Carla@MagneticPhotography.com

Did you pick up your copy of “Carla’s Camera Companion” on the website? It’s a gift from me to you.

Click Here! See me on the CHCH News Special

A few months back, Kathleen and I connected on Facebook and got to know each other a bit. Kathleen is a real estate sales agent and last week, she was in my class in Owen Sound with her husband Scott. Together they are the “Tillson Team” in the Owen Sound, Grey-Bruce area here in Ontario. After the class, Kathleen shared the following:

Thank you Carla for the wonderful information you supplied us with at the course the other day. The information is a valuable tool for Realtors to magnetize buyers to their listings. I was very impressed with your recent success story when the buyer from Egypt purchased the property based on your excellent photos. We will be incorporating all of the photography tips you supplied us with. It was a very well worth course for Realtors!

Kathleen Tillson
Broker of Record
PEAK ADVANTAGE REAL ESTATE LTD BROKERAGE

Thank you Kathleen. I’m so glad you found the information helpful. I like your phrase “magnetize buyers.” Yes! 

If you’re looking for a property in the area, check out their site and give them a call.

http://www.peakadvantage.ca/

On Wednesday, June 2nd, I’m teaching my first education course for RAGBOS, the Realtor® Association of Grey-Bruce Owen Sound. I’ll be in Owen Sound in the morning and Hanover in the afternoon.

Too many RE ad photos send buyers away and too many agents don’t know it. I teach agents how to take ad photos that ATTRACT buyers like a MAGNET!

http://www.ragbos.ca/Realtime/Education/course.php?cor=3

Come with your camera charged, cuz I’m going to give your marketing a good charge!

Free coffee and cookies – if that helps. Works for me!

There is still time to sign up. Hope to see you there!

A big thanks to Paul Reynolds of  Property Place http://www.propertyplace.ca/ for coordinating the Real Estate Photography theme last week on his blog. Here’s the link to my guest post “The Magnetic Attraction of Great Real Estate Ad Photos.”

http://blog.propertyplace.ca/?p=368