Wow!  I just finished listening to the latest webinar in the library and it has some tips to help just about everyone.  Did you know that you should freeze credit bureau accounts for minors and the deceased so that their accounts aren’t at risk for identity theft?  Did you know when you co-sign a loan that the amount of the debt is on your credit bureau file also so it is added to debt you have when applying for a mortgage or other credit?  Did you know just one late payment of 30 days or more can impact your credit score by as much as 100 points?  Do you know how a short sale affects your credit?  Taking time to listen to the new webinar is worth it!  Learn ways to keep your FICO score as high as possible.  800+ is possible when you pay attention to managing your credit.

The latest webinar on Understanding Your Credit Score will be live on Wednesday, 10/29/08 at 4pm MDT.  It will be posted to the Webinar Library later in the week.  If you want to listen and see it live, please register, provide your email, and we will get you on the list for notification of this and future live webinars.  When it is archived we will post and let you know it’s available.

The importance of quality was brought home to me again this week.  Many companies talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.  My daughter had a roof leak this summer and has had a new roof put on and is having damaged drywall replaced and her ceiling repainted.  One process went very well and one not so good.  It IS important who you work with no matter what the job that needs to be done.  That’s why my team and I emphasize the level of service and skill that we bring to our clients.  We want them to be wowed.  You can read testimonials at carefreehomes4u.com if you’d like.  The people providing my testimonials would give you the same testimonial on the phone too.

Back to my daughter’s story.  Our insurance company used to be run by a fabulous agent named Brian Smith, who was very responsive and always treated us like we were his best customer.  Since his retirement several years ago, the company has been sold twice and neither agent is anywhere close to being a Brian Smith.  Once a claim is out of their hands, forget about it - “Not my job.”  I hate that!  I’m looking for a new “Brian Smith” with the same company.

I referred an excellent roofing company, Empire Roofing, to my daughter and they did a great job.  They were timely and did skilled work.  They also did a great job for both a business partner and a client of mine, so I am happy to refer them.  The insurance company’s “preferred” contractor is your run of the mill firm doing insurance work who it appears is running their project manager ragged all over southern Colorado and there is a lack of oversight.  The painter started prepping and painting without the damaged sheetrock being replaced.  Duh!  Unfortunately, there are a lot of businesses like that out there.  Somehow we all let them get away with it.  Stop that!  Before you hire anyone, check them out.  Get referrals from people you trust - your Realtor, your great aunt, your neighbor, your lender, your dentist, whoever.  Call the BBB and see if they are listed and have a good record.  Get references and CALL them.  Drive by the location where the work was done and look at it.  Ask what the reference’s experience was with the company you are considering hiring.  Be specific with questions that are important to you.  Let’s all drive the quality of business up by increasing our expectations of the companies we hire.  You deserve excellent work.  Talk with your pocketbook and don’t sign off until it’s the way you expect it to be.

I always ask my clients to rate me after the transaction is complete and have a Platinum (100% satisfaction) rating for 2007.  Are the people you are working with doing that?  If not, what are they afraid of?  If they don’t ask, still give them feedback on the job they did and let the BBB know.  By the way, the contractor I trust in Colorado Springs is Brian Rief, owner of Independent Construction and Remodel.  Let me know if you need Brian’s contact information.

Check it out!  We have just created a link to a great new site that you will find to be an awesome resource for your life, your home, and your work.  We’re just getting started so there’s a lot more to come.  New webinars are presented live every month and we’ll post the date, time, and connection information right here so you can join in and ask questions of the presenter.  If your life is too chaotic to sit in live (like mine often is), you’ll be able to view and listen to the archived webinars here whenever it is convenient for you.  Click on the Webinar Library.  You’ll find access information on the page.  Enjoy!

Are you familiar with BNI? You can learn more at bni.com. Or check out the great site we have in Colorado - bnicolorado.com. I have been a member since late 2005 and was president of the Rocky Mountain Business Builders chapter from October 2006 through September 2007. Our chapter received the BNI Founders Award in 2007 and we have a great group of business people. I am happy to get up at 0 dark 30 to meet with them every Wednesday morning at 7am. If you would like to belong to an organization where everyone shows up once a week just to give you referrals :-), then check out this organization. Make a commitment to grow your business by connections with other business people that you get to know, like, and trust.

If you happen to be a BNI member and Realtor in another state or country, I’d love to hear from you.

Take your laptop to one of the main PPLD library branches and you can use the wireless access to connect to the library and internet sites.  Since library branches are all over the Pikes Peak Region from Monument to Fountain, you’ll find this to be a great solution to meeting with someone when you need internet access.  My other favorite wireless locations are the Panera restaurants around town.

While you are at the library, take note of the great resources we have locally through the Pikes Peak Library District.  There is a wealth of information, no matter what the topic, at your fingertips.  Plus, the library staff are always happy to help you make the best use of the tools you’ll find there for business, hobbies, and other topics you may want to learn more about.

To get started, here’s the link to the library branches: Pikes Peak Library District

Google and MSN have come out with some really great new tools. You can now look at satelite photos of your potential new home. More illuminating than a map, you can see schools, parks and playgrounds. You can zoom in and in some cases even determine if your next door neighbor has a swingset.

Google Earth: http://earth.google.com/
Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/
MSN Terra Earth: http://terraserver.microsoft.com/

I was looking for information on the White House today and discovered a website that you may find useful as well.  It is a portal to the US Government sites.  You can see what is available by going to www.firstgov.gov.