The July numbers were worse than we expected, worse than the general market expected, and we are concerned. That’s why we are taking additional steps to move forward. We’re going to be focused like a laser on where the housing market is moving going forward, and we are going to go everywhere we can to make sure this market stabilizes and recovers.

This reminds me of a little game that we used to play when I was a kid, it was called the inflatable horse.  My dad would come home after working one of his 3 jobs, and plop down exhausted on the floor.  All of us kids would run over to him ready to play.  In order to get the inflatable horse working, you had to have an imaginary bicycle pump.  You know the kind with the up and down plunger that looked like a detonator on a ACME bomb.

Well we would pump and pump that horse up, first the back legs and then the front, until that horse was up and fully operational, and off a-riding we would go.  There was only one problem, that inflatable horse always had air leaks. I am told that the older you get the smarter your dad gets.   Not until later in life would I realize that those “leaks” gave dad time to recover between rides.

This is what the government doesn’t get…tax credits for homebuyer’s are like inflatable horses. Some one needs to take the imaginary bicycle pump away from the “kids” in Washington.  Just like my dad, our economy needs real time to recover, naturally.

Take a look at the following chart from Les Sulgrove at www.desmoineshomeinfo.com:

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Look at the blue line showing last year’s home sales with no stimulus money in play (until years end, and then it was $6,500 that had to be repaid).  Then look at the red and see what the stimulus did to the market.  It is like someone took there finger and put it on the end of the blue line in December and pushed to the left of the chart.  That is exactly what happened.  The stimulus stimulated all the buyers for 2010 to purchase in Q1, and now the buyer pool has dried up.  Home sales haven’t declined, they just all happened at once.

Here is what Florida Gov. Charlie Crist who is running for a Senate seat had to say,

“People are hurting, and they’re looking for answers. And that would be a good one. I would absolutely encourage the president to support [another homebuyer tax credit]”

Oooh, good one Chuck, why don’t you come out in favor of puppies, and free apple pies for war veterans as well?  There are times when going through rough patches are a part of the recovery, just like forest fires make way for regrowth.  More tax credits are not the answer, and that is tough for me to say, because I am in the business of selling homes.

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

When you are three,  patience is as worthless as an ashtray on a crotchrocket, and my son cannot for the life of him figure out why we are waiting to hit the ball.

Him:  “Daddy, why don’t you go?”

Me:  ” I am afraid that I am going to hit them.”

Him: “Oh daddy, don’t do that!  You are not supposed to hit people. You should take a deep breath, hold it, and count to 10.  Then let it out.”

Good advice on slow play

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

What was it that Archimedes said… “Give me a lever long enough, and a fulcrum strong enough, and I will move the world.”

Lets take a quick look at this video from a group called the Fast Lane and an episode called: “The Slide” and see how they are moving those in their world to action…

Pay attention to the end of the video.  What are you driven by?… http://www.facebook.com/volkswagen. Wait a sec…this isn’t a funny you tube video… I was Venus flytrapped by Volkswagen…GERMANS!!!!!

The advertising minds behind this commercial have figured you out.  People own DVR’s and TIVO’s …people don’t watch commercials anymore unless they are during the Superbowl.  Generally, when people are going online it is to Google “Best Pizza in Sarasota” or they are watching the latest OK GO video (which in itself is an infomercial for the band).   So, what do advertisers do instead???  Ladies and gentlemen it is called a mashup; create funny videos that look and feel like an episode of Jackass, but really are a Volkswagen commercials.

The great part about this video is the way it captures the carefree nature that people associate with slides and the little part of everyone that wants to break free during their day and be free.  Conveniently, Volkswagen can give you that feeling every morning on your commute for the low, low payment of $299/mo!

The keys to making a succesfull viral video/commercial online appear to be the following:

1.) Identify your company’s mission statement. For Volkswagen here it is “Driven by fun”.

2.) Come up with a either creative, funny or inspirational way to express your company’s mission statement in a video that is under 2:00. (example: Say you are GE and your slogan is “We Bring Good things to Life”.  You may make a commercial where a mad scientist creates an army of Frankensteins that once animated start helping old ladies accross the street and getting cats out of trees. Then they would ask the audience,  “What do you do that brings good things to life?”)  The purpose is to engage your clients in a discussion.

3.) Get the word out about your funny new video.  Start with your immediate sphere of influence.  Post it to your You Tube Channel, then Facebook, Twitter etc.  If you have a bit of an advertising budget you may even put out a contest where you offer a prize for whoever comes up with the best commercial for your company.  Try out http://www.onlinevideocontests.com for ideas on how to implement this.   This also is a really good way to help your company’s website rank better through a concept called linkbaiting. This involves people posting links about your video and contest around the internet so that it gives you Google love and helps your website rank better.

4.) Send people back to a company/community page where they can participate in the dialogue and even contribute themselves.   In the Volkswagen video, it was a Facebook page; but it could also be a blog or a website.

So there it is, hope you found this helpful, and when you have your new company video up, be sure to let me know by posting it in the comments!

P.S.  The next time you watch an episode of Pawn Stars, Extreme Home Makeover, or my favorite American Pickers, ask yourself, “Am I watching a TV show or a 23 min commercial with 7 minutes of commercial interruption?”

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

Three things to think about when trying to market your house:

1.) Event Based Marketing:  How can you turn the sale of your house into an event?

- Have some fun with your next open house!  See if any of your kid’s friends have a birthday coming up and host at your house, complete with inflatable Jump Houses, Slides, the works!

- Talk to some of your Pampered Chef and Mary Kay friends who have a big subscriber list, host the next party at your place.  The more connections you make the more likely they are going to know someone who may be in the market to buy a house!

2.) Joint Ventures in Real Estate

-  Think about other people who have things that they sell that go hand in hand with Real Estate.   Use your house as a showcase and get them to give something away at the sale of your house. Get creative!  Buy a house and get a free pool, big screen whatever or both.   Then have those retailers send out emails to their mailing list telling them about your upcoming open house!

3.) Press Releases

- In a market like this, people using creative ways to sell their homes sometimes makes headlines.   Look at the lemonade stand idea for an example.  If your house selling technique is crazy enough, consider doing a press release to your local paper.  If they pick up your story you may get a ton of free press!

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

The guy on the UPS commercial?

Andy Azula

That guy from the State Farm Commercials!

Eddie Matos

That guy from True Blood?

Joe Manganiello

David Arquette! (Although for fun I had everyone in a Best Western in KY convinced I was him in town for a movie shoot for a couple days.  Signing authographs and everything!)

David Arquette

NEO (another stretch)

Sasha Strauss: (if you want to watch a great interview about branding your business check out Sasha on Mixergy)

Sasha Strauss

Young Kirk Douglas (this was by my Grandfather)

Kirk Douglas

Charlie Sheen (this was mostly when I was younger or selling insurance)

Charlie Sheen

Matthew Perry (Back in 1996 and when I was 20 pounds lighter!)

Young Matthew Perry

Matthew 1996

That guy who kills himself in Dead Poet’s Society? (This was back in high School)

Robert Sean Leonard

and me in high school

Senior Picture

So, to answer your question…, “Yes”.  If they are tall and have dark hair or a beard, I have heard I look like them! And thank you very much, I will take it, because if I don’t lay off the cheeseburgers and beer,  it soon will be “Hey, you look like Oliver Platt!”

Oliver Platt

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

The question is “Does it have anything on Des Moines?”

My answer to that question is “Not for long”

I was reading an article today by a gentleman named Richard Florida in the Washington Monthy called “The Rise of the Creative Class“, in it he states that , “The key to economic growth lies not in just the ability to attract the creative class, but to translate that underlying advantage into creative economic outcomes in the form of new ideas, new high tech businesses and regional growth.” His idea is that in a post manufacturing type world, it is the access to information and it’s synthesis into new ideas that creates economic growth in a community.

Take a look a the following tables:

Now take a look at the same rankings when it comes to smaller cities:

Small Size Cities Creativity Rankings

So, for all you SAT analogy types out there San Francisco is to Madison as Austin is to Des Moines.  Richard came up with the Creative Index using the following criteria  (try to envision these in Des Moines:

1. The Creative Class’ share of the workforce
2. High Tech Industry- Using the Milken Institute’s Tech Pole Index
   
3. Diversity- Using what he dubs the “Gay Index” or an reasonable proxy for an areas openness to different kinds of people and ideas
   
4. Innovation- using patents per capita

When I read the results of these findings I find them at odds with the widely held perception of Des Moines by outsiders.

Oscar Wilde once was quoted to have said, “The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well.”

This may also be said of Des Moines, it seems like a ‘normal’ town, but when you get to know it you will find that it isn’t what you would think.  Most people think of Des Moines as fly over country if you live on the coasts.   When I moved here in 2001, I would have never chosen to move to Iowa.  All I heard was how Des Moines was losing its best and brightest to other places.  Now, I don’t now if I would move even given the choice.  Do I like the coasts, sure.  Do I like their cost of living, no.  Do, I like the cache and urbane nature of some of a San Francisco or a Portland, of course.  We have all that here and I can get anywhere in town I want to go in 20 minutes with no 2 hour commutes. Not only that, I like the people here.  I enjoy the work ethic, I enjoy the midwestern sensibilities and that common sense that isn’t so common.

I think that what Des Moines needs an agent or a hype man

Our food scene is improving every day, the music is continually cranking out new artists, and we usually get some of the newer technological advances (such as 4G networks) because of the large financial and insurance interests in town.

And Richard Florida isn’t the only one singing Des Moines’ praises.

Forbes Magazine this April, 2010 in their “Best Places for Businesses and Careers” named Des Moines #1 (up from #7 in 2009)

Kiplinger’s magazine named Des Moines #9 in its “Best Places to Live Work and Play”

Forbes again named Des Moines “America’s Best City to Raise a Family”

So there is is … Des Moines, Iowa our knew slogan should be “Who knew?”   And if you don’t know, now you know!

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

After a Wine and Cheese party in 2005

This is what whine and cheese looks like at the Smith household:

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

A little bit about Jess- if the A Team had been into cheesecakes instead of championing the causes of disenfranchised farmers being run off their land by oil tycoons…they would have been Jess.  If you need cheesecake and you can find her maybe you can hire Jessica Goodale.

Jess is something of a legend at our Cigar Club, so much so that there is an ongoing investigation into the mysterious disappearance of half of her famous Bannana Cream Cheese cake.  The cheesecaske was there the night before and sometime between midnight and the next morning it disappeared. The proposed culprit is now only known as “Donny Cheesecake”.

Russ Goodale and his daughter Jessica own and operated Unc’s Cheesecakes.  Russ (Unc) created his famous cheesecakes during his many years in the restaurant business. Eventually, Russ and Jess decided to take this hobby and grow it into one of Iowa’s best kept secret (but not for long).  Unc’s is now featured in some of Des Moines best restaurants with more being added every day. Some of Unc’s More interesting cheesecakes include the following:

1.) Peanut Butter Jelly Cheesecake- I know, I know, but you really have to try it.  Jess swears that it is one of her best sellers.

Peanut Butter Jelly Cheesecake

2.) Mango Jalepeno Cheesecake- Soon to be featured at Copa Cavana down on Ingersoll (when it opens in July 2010)

3.) Blueberry Cheesecake and Rhubarb Cheesecakes

4.) The afore mentioned Bananna Cream Pie Cheesecake

5.) Pumpkin Pecan

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

6.) And for all you traditionalists she also makes Plain NY Style, Turtle, White Chocolate Rasberry, etc.

Oh  yeah, and just in case that wasn’t enough…Unc’s is apparently this summer’s version of the impromptu dance routine as what all the cool kids are doing for their weddings.  Check out this craziness.

and

So, now you are most likely thoroughly jonesin’ for some cheesecake so drop them a line:

uncs_cheesecakes@yahoo.com  or you can find them on Facebook under Unc’s Cheesecakes

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

I was hanging out down at the Blues before Sunset tonight with the family when I happened upon a table right next to the Historical Building.  Now, I knew these were my kind of people because they started out by offering me a beer.  This means that in addition to their good taste in movies (more on that to come) they must also be clairvoyant.   They proceeded to tell me about a festival coming up on  Saturday, July 31st at AMF Lanes 3839 NE 14th Street.  Turns out this festival is in honor of El Duderino himself…The Big Lebowski. Check them out at http://www.dude-a-rama.com/event.html

I came home so inspired by this convocation of Coen connoisseurs that I decided to come up with a list of ideas for future festivals based on other famous movie and TV  icons.  Without adieu I give you the list:

The Uncle Buck Pancake Breakfast

Concept: Held at a School Cafeteria it would be a giant pancake breakfast where all the pancakes would be flipped by shovels.  Door prizes will be awarded to any cars that backfire upon arrival. Security will check for hatchets and powerdrills at the door, so leave them in the car.  There will be a award given for best drunk clown.

The Strange (Home) Brew Festival

This one reminds me of my best friend Justin who is a remarkable home brewer.  He came up with a line of beers called Capitalist Ales his company slogan was “Brewed in the true spirit of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Hoppy-ness”  Some of my favorite of his beer names were “The Right-Wing Nut Ale”, the “No Fed Red” (he is a bit of a conservative).

So, people would bring their best home brews serve them in Dog Dishes marked “Hoser” on the side.  Jelly Donuts would be readily available and plenty of synthesizer piano music which would inevitably lead to fights in the parking lots

Alternative costume ideas include: Fleshy headed mutants from the forbidden zone, Ice Skating Storm Troopers, anything Elsinore.

The Blues Brothers night at Miss Kitty’s

Concept: Another Des Moines venue, Miss Kitty’s would be a great place to reinact the classic Blues Brother’s scene at the Country AND Western Bar.

Food: Buffet Style- only 3 items: 4 Fried Chickens, white toast, and Coke.

Music: Blues, Country and Western.

There you go I got the ball rolling what other ideas are out there?  Leave a comment below.

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post

Tweet This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post