Rate A Home Blog

I recently changed the poll along the side of my blog page.

Here are the results of the previous poll. Thank you to all who voted.

Has Active Rain helped your Real Estate Business?  

42% Yes, Tremendously  

27% Not yet, but I think its going to!  

22% A Little  

09% No, not a bit

Please take the time to vote on the latest Poll, "Who is your favorite Active Rain Blogger?"

It doesn't record who voted, so no one will know.  

Because the Poll has been a bit shy on the right side of this page, if it doesn't show I made it public and you can visit the Poll directly by clicking here.

Here's the choices. (And they are all positive members of the ThemThem Group)

Lenn           Sharon         Jeff          Sally           Jason     Renee   Donna      Brad       Carole

Location, Location, Location ... and a lot of elegance! This statement says it all.

Bentley Waterfront Suites are nestled on the Kalamazoo River, and a short boat ride to beautiful Lake Michigan.

The Bentley consists of four private suites, providing each guest the personal service of Europe, in the heart of the quaint town of Saugatuck, Michigan.

No need for transportation once you arrive as the town is at the front door step.

Breakfast in bed, private terrace and balconies overlooking the water, romance as you watch the sun settle over the town, can all be yours without ever leaving the Suites.

Enjoy the night life, great stores, restaurants and Saugatuck's many art galleries and retire to your private suite without ever walking for more than five minutes at the most.

Plan your escape to this beautiful home, its Suite!

 Bentley Waterfront Suites, a property of Boutique Inns of Saugatuck, is a European Style Boutique Inn. Please visit the web site for rates and dates.

Red Hats enjoy a Tea Party. Bring your Group and experience the hospitality of The Bentley.

Enjoy your evening dinner or breakfast in the dining room.

Watch the world pass by, as you relax on the patio. Stress, not allowed!

Also visit this post for Saugatuck Bed and Breakfast.

A BIG ThemThem to the top point holders of the Group. These are the top bloggers who have given so much to each and everyone of us throughout The Rain. The learning, laughs and lingering friendships have been fantastic.

The ThemThem Group includes Newbies with 200 points all the way up to the Top Point Holder of Active Rain and everyone in between. The awesome part, here they are all equal and practice the "5P" approach (Positive People Providing Positive Posts).

The combined points for the 50 top point holders of the ThemThem Group members, comes to a whooping 11,150,258 and 8972 Associates.

Top 50 Point Holders of the ThemThem Group.

Congratulations to Allison Stewart and the Realtors® Group on the membership going over the 10,000 members mark. The Group has over 20,000 posts as of today covering 400 pages.

Allison, it's a great group, thank you for starting it.

A big ThemThem to you for all your hard work in monitoring such a large Group!

Please join me with your congrats to Allison and the Group. If you are not a member of the Group, please check it out.

Duane

As Fathers Day approaches this Sunday, we are all thankful for our Dad's, Grandpa's and our children's Father.

Let's not forget our True Father. The Man who started it all and gave us the opportunity to start on own families and become Dad's ourselves.

God, Father, Dad I thank you for all you have done and continue to do along with the life you have provided me.

Father, you are the greatest beyond all word!

Happy Fathers Day!

I hope Alexander isn't offended by my use of the Christianity and Real Estate Groups photo of our Father. It was the first Group I thought about.

I'm proud to call my Father, Dad. He has taught me the way of the world in business, life and love.

Dad is a family man all the way. Family to him is his "best friends". Dad, even though he was always in business showed my sister and I the USA World. I was fortunate to visit all 50 States, and many countries around our beautiful world. I do have to admit I missed a ton of school as Dad felt the best education came from seeing the places in person. I was able to relate to so much more while sitting in church after visiting the Holy Land, gotta say Dad had a vision, even though the teachers thought they could teach geography, history and life in general from a class room better then seeing it in real life. I was able to talk in depth about the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, and Europe as the teachers were text booking the entire world tour to us as students.

Dad and Mom continued the teaching trips with our children starting at the ages of 3 years old. Summer would arrive and off on a two month road trip with all four grand kids. I think about that today with our grand kids and am amazed on the time, effort and money that had to cost Mom & Dad. But to them it was all about education, even though the kids thought it was a vacation. How cool!

Dad, you are the Rock in my World. Your strength, support and Love are out of this World. It's Dad's World!

You are the best, I love you with all my heart, and Thanks for having me, without you I would never be.

Love Me

The photo is of Dad, myself and Josh (My son, who was married this weekend and now enjoying Costa Rica on their honeymoon, hey wonder if they will fly me there for Fathers Day, I better check for the tickets in the mail tomorrow) 

Please share your Public Thank You and admiration of your Dad, in the ThemThem Group where its not about you, its all about Them!

I have noticed that many cities have only a few members in the Active Rain Network. My particular city has a total of 6 members including myself, 3 of which I have invited to join.

Some times I feel like I'm walking alone in The Rain in my area. I have invited nearly all the area Real Estate Professionals to join this great site with not much luck.

So I ask what are we really doing here in the Rain?

My take, of course we all want to build our business presence, I feel that's #1 on most members list. Admit it or not, it was most of goals when we joined. But the awesome part of getting wet in The Rain is the extended Family that develops.

The comradery of Professional to Professional knowledge sharing, friendship growth and the pure fact of learning to be the best we can be through the great membership base Active Rain radiates is second to none.

I don't write much about our business, is that good or bad? Not sure yet. I feel that sharing ones true self with the world is much more rewarding. Family, friends, respect and truth still out weighs a large bank account, although we all need that side to get us through from day to day.

So Really what are we doing here?

We are charting a new course in Real Estate history. One that is sweeping the Real Estate Profession much like the early years of the cell phone or Internet. The current members on The Rain will be the pioneers of Networking when the rest of the Real Estate world wakes up and jumps on the train. By then, newbies will be seasoned bloggers. We all started at the point of newbyism. (New word, grin). Even the top bloggers sat down and placed their fingers on the key board one day, pushed the first key to start their blogging history. The process is much like learning to ride a bike. Newbies, your first post may not get 10 comments, oh well! You are learning to peddle. Peddle yourself by combining a little about your business, your life, your area, your family and friends.

Life in general is much like a race. By being involved and getting your feet wet in The Rain, you will be the leader in your area.

It's not the points, (that's a score card) but what you do with this great tool that will help you reach the winners circle.

Be positive, leave the umbrella behind and enjoy The Rain drops on your head!

Have a great day in The Rain,

Duane

I would like to invite you to join the ThemThem Group where members practice the "5-P" approach of "Positive People Providing Positive Posts" to others! Here its not about you, it's about "Them"!

Happy 4 month anniversary to the 940 members of the Group, WTG!

Non-members, Please join us in the Active Rain Network.

Saturday, my baby will marry his beautiful fiancee.

Sara, has been the rock of our family as I went through a divorce to a bitter ex. Sara, has been there throughout the turmoil to help Josh understand the emotional roller coaster that goes along with divorce. The frustration that Josh has endured by having a parent that can't get rid of the bitter to get better, has put him in a predicament that any child young or old shouldn't have to go through in a life time. For that I'm sorry, but it's out of my hands. To Sara, kudos to you for being, that shoulder and listening ear when Josh needed it the most.

Sara, is as beautiful inside as she is on the outside. A caring, giving, loving and supportive person, my son has hit the jack pot of life in my eyes.

Josh, the day has nearly arrived. We so proud of you for your life accomplishments and how you have matured into a man these past few years. You are a wonderful man, and don't allow anyone to mislead your thinking. 

The skills you are learning in your new job is fantastic. I'm sorry that the company was swept away by forces beyond my our control. My dream for you to own the family business wasn't shared by both sides. I feel you over came the speed bump in life and have excelled in your drive to learn another industry that neither one of us would have guessed you would ever had to. I'll keep working on your company, so you can make a life for your beautiful bride and yourself.

Joyce & I are so happy for each of you. You two make a beautiful couple, where the love radiates in your actions.

By Saturday evening you will officially become One! We love each of you, our son & daughter!

We wish the very best life has to offer you and cherish the love each of you have showered upon us.

Have a great time in Costa Rica, the offer still stands if you need a couple of people to transport your bags, grin.

Love, Laugh, and Learn to funnel the support to each other daily and trust in The Great Man above. With that triangle, you will flourish in life, together, as one!

Love,

Dad & your other mother!

It's official, Congrats!