You still have about 90 days to qualify for one of the last remaining tax credits available from the 2010 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
When the law went into effect it increased the energy tax credit for homeowners who make energy efficient improvements to their existing homes, increased the credit rate to 30 percent of the cost of all qualifying improvements, and raised the maximum credit limit to $1,500 for improvements put in service in 2009 and 2010.
The credit applies to improvements such as adding insulation, energy efficient exterior windows and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems.
Since it was implemented, the program has suffered a bit from confusing marketing and regulatory issues. For instance, not every appliance labeled as “Energy Star” is eligible for the tax credit. Some replacement windows and doors qualify for the credit, while others don’t.
The best approach, say the experts, is to work with a vendor you trust and confirm purchases with the government’s official website at www.energystar.gov.
If you'd like a recommendation of a vendor for a particular part of your home (heating and cooling, general contracting, plumbing, etc.) give me a call. I have a list of fine folks with whom I've worked, and who have earned my trust. I'd be delighted to refer you to someone honest and reputable.
Robert Flinn
919-698-2040 (Direct)
919-402-1242 (Office)
rflinn@fmrealty.com
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Learn To Love Your Crawl
Yes, it’s dank and dusty down there. Yes, it’s icky… what with all the spider webs and other creepy crawly things that like dark, cool spaces. But regular visits to your crawl space can alert you to big problems that might be developing in your home, literally right under your feet.
In my work as a Realtor®, I see a lot of crawl spaces. Many of the problems a home inspector finds in a crawl space are the result of a circumstance or a condition that’s gone on for some time. And the sooner crawl space problems are dealt with, the better. Here are some of the things we all should look for, and take care of while we’re down there:
Look For: As a general rule, the dryer your crawl space, the better. The air down there will always have that “basement” feeling. But use your nose; be aware of unusually musty odors that can indicate excessive moisture. That’s bad news in an enclosed space. It can generate mold, or encourage rotting of wooden floor joists and sub-flooring. It can (and will!) also attract wood-destroying insects. Speaking of termites, they are a fact of life in North Carolina. Be on the lookout for tell-tale signs: earthen tubes about the diameter of your little finger leading upward from the ground along a wall of your crawl. If you see one, don’t disturb it… call a professional pest extermination company right away.
Dos: A clean crawl space is better than a dirty one. Twice a year, put on long pants and a long-sleeved shirt and crawl into your crawl. Knee pads are a big help, as is a hat– or head-mounted flashlight. Take a whisk broom and sweep off EVERY floor joist and piece of wood you can reach. You’re mission is to disturb the spiders and other bugs that are making your space their home. A commercial product by Ortho called Home Defense Maxx is an excellent residual deterrent. It’s available in spray or granular versions. Make sure your crawl space can breathe. Vents to the outside are designed to allow moisture-laden air to filter out of the enclosed space. Don’t close them or block them without the advice of a professional.
Don’ts: Don’t store wood-handled tools in your crawl space (they serve as bait for wood-destroying insects). Likewise, don’t stack material — particularly wood — against the wall of your crawl. That makes for a prime nesting ground for insects. If your inspection finds something unusual, call a professional to help you determine what’s going on.
Is there something unknown lurking in YOUR crawl space? Call me. I’d be happy to take a look and give you a free assessment.
Robert Flinn, Realtor/Broker
Fonville Morisey Realty, Inc.
919-698-2040 (Direct)
919-402-1242 (Office
In my work as a Realtor®, I see a lot of crawl spaces. Many of the problems a home inspector finds in a crawl space are the result of a circumstance or a condition that’s gone on for some time. And the sooner crawl space problems are dealt with, the better. Here are some of the things we all should look for, and take care of while we’re down there:
Look For: As a general rule, the dryer your crawl space, the better. The air down there will always have that “basement” feeling. But use your nose; be aware of unusually musty odors that can indicate excessive moisture. That’s bad news in an enclosed space. It can generate mold, or encourage rotting of wooden floor joists and sub-flooring. It can (and will!) also attract wood-destroying insects. Speaking of termites, they are a fact of life in North Carolina. Be on the lookout for tell-tale signs: earthen tubes about the diameter of your little finger leading upward from the ground along a wall of your crawl. If you see one, don’t disturb it… call a professional pest extermination company right away.
Dos: A clean crawl space is better than a dirty one. Twice a year, put on long pants and a long-sleeved shirt and crawl into your crawl. Knee pads are a big help, as is a hat– or head-mounted flashlight. Take a whisk broom and sweep off EVERY floor joist and piece of wood you can reach. You’re mission is to disturb the spiders and other bugs that are making your space their home. A commercial product by Ortho called Home Defense Maxx is an excellent residual deterrent. It’s available in spray or granular versions. Make sure your crawl space can breathe. Vents to the outside are designed to allow moisture-laden air to filter out of the enclosed space. Don’t close them or block them without the advice of a professional.
Don’ts: Don’t store wood-handled tools in your crawl space (they serve as bait for wood-destroying insects). Likewise, don’t stack material — particularly wood — against the wall of your crawl. That makes for a prime nesting ground for insects. If your inspection finds something unusual, call a professional to help you determine what’s going on.
Is there something unknown lurking in YOUR crawl space? Call me. I’d be happy to take a look and give you a free assessment.
Robert Flinn, Realtor/Broker
Fonville Morisey Realty, Inc.
919-698-2040 (Direct)
919-402-1242 (Office
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Clean Mower, Happy Mower
If there’s one piece of outdoor power gear that really leads a hard life, it’s your mower. Thanks to our friends at Popular Mechanics, here’s how to help it stay in top form:
Scrape under the deck with a putty knife to remove dried clippings.
Wipe Clean the area around the fuel nozzle and the oil fill
Use an old paintbrush or an air nozzle on your compressor and dust off engine fins.
Vacuum-clean the engine shroud.
Give a tune-up to include fresh oil, a clean air filter, fresh gas and a new spark plug.
Clean and sharpen the mower blade. Check it for knicks and dings from rocks and such. If it shows excessive signs of wear, replace it.
Fill the tank with fresh gas that’s rated at 87 octane or higher. Stale gas is prone to a build-up of moisture and a loss of octane, which can lead to gum deposits in the engine’s fuel line and carburetor. If you think you have stale gas in your tank, drain it and use one of the engine re-start additives available at home stores.
Scrape under the deck with a putty knife to remove dried clippings.
Wipe Clean the area around the fuel nozzle and the oil fill
Use an old paintbrush or an air nozzle on your compressor and dust off engine fins.
Vacuum-clean the engine shroud.
Give a tune-up to include fresh oil, a clean air filter, fresh gas and a new spark plug.
Clean and sharpen the mower blade. Check it for knicks and dings from rocks and such. If it shows excessive signs of wear, replace it.
Fill the tank with fresh gas that’s rated at 87 octane or higher. Stale gas is prone to a build-up of moisture and a loss of octane, which can lead to gum deposits in the engine’s fuel line and carburetor. If you think you have stale gas in your tank, drain it and use one of the engine re-start additives available at home stores.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Inherited Property - What To Know When You Sell It
The death of a parent can bring sudden and sometimes unconsidered responsibilities to children and family members left behind. Not the least of these is the settlement and distribution of real property that the parents acquired while they were alive.
Real property (land and the structures that sit on the land) as well as personal property (cars, jewelry, money, etc.) comprise what is known in legal terms as a person’s estate. A will is a legal document that is drafted prior to a person’s death that stipulates how his or her estate is to be distributed after death.
Intestate succession laws, administered through the North Carolina Court System, exist to ensure the smooth and correct transfer of real property from owners to eligible beneficiaries, if a property owner dies without leaving a will. But even with a will, certain procedures must be followed in order for property to be transferred effectively and smoothly from the beneficiaries to another owner.
The process begins with the assignment of an executor or an administrator and the assignment of authority to determine the contents of a person’s estate and how it will be distributed. This authority comes from letters of appointment called “Letters Testamentary” and “Letters of Administration” that are designated either by the decedent prior to death or by the court.
Handling a person’s estate, depending on the value of assets in the estate, your relationship to the decedent, and whether other people are entitled to some of the assets can be as simple as pie or so complicated that estate lawyers and tax professionals are required.
In general, handling someone’s estate means:
● Determining all of the decedent’s assets or property (land, automobiles, boats, money, stocks, jewelry, or other items of value);
● Identifying and notifying the creditors of the estate (the people or businesses to which the decedent owed money before his death (mortgage, car loan, credit cards)) and the persons or businesses who are due money as a result of the decedent’s death (funeral home, hospital bills);
● Identifying and notifying the persons or organizations entitled to a share of the estate (spouse, children, friends, charitable or religious organizations);
● Publishing notice to creditors in the local newspaper;
● Paying the decedent’s debts;
● Filing accountings with the Clerk of Superior Court, showing income and disbursements;
● Distributing the rest of the estate as required by the decedent’s will or by state intestacy law.
Such laws vary by state and even, in some cases, by county or municipality. In North Carolina, for instance, if a person dies without leaving a will and legal beneficiaries cannot be determined by the court, the value of the person’s holdings “escheats” to the state, which then donates the value to the to an authority which provides loans to worthy and needy North Carolina students in State-supported institutions of higher education.
Your first call should be to the Superior Court Clerk’s office in the county in which the decedent owned property.
Real property (land and the structures that sit on the land) as well as personal property (cars, jewelry, money, etc.) comprise what is known in legal terms as a person’s estate. A will is a legal document that is drafted prior to a person’s death that stipulates how his or her estate is to be distributed after death.
Intestate succession laws, administered through the North Carolina Court System, exist to ensure the smooth and correct transfer of real property from owners to eligible beneficiaries, if a property owner dies without leaving a will. But even with a will, certain procedures must be followed in order for property to be transferred effectively and smoothly from the beneficiaries to another owner.
The process begins with the assignment of an executor or an administrator and the assignment of authority to determine the contents of a person’s estate and how it will be distributed. This authority comes from letters of appointment called “Letters Testamentary” and “Letters of Administration” that are designated either by the decedent prior to death or by the court.
Handling a person’s estate, depending on the value of assets in the estate, your relationship to the decedent, and whether other people are entitled to some of the assets can be as simple as pie or so complicated that estate lawyers and tax professionals are required.
In general, handling someone’s estate means:
● Determining all of the decedent’s assets or property (land, automobiles, boats, money, stocks, jewelry, or other items of value);
● Identifying and notifying the creditors of the estate (the people or businesses to which the decedent owed money before his death (mortgage, car loan, credit cards)) and the persons or businesses who are due money as a result of the decedent’s death (funeral home, hospital bills);
● Identifying and notifying the persons or organizations entitled to a share of the estate (spouse, children, friends, charitable or religious organizations);
● Publishing notice to creditors in the local newspaper;
● Paying the decedent’s debts;
● Filing accountings with the Clerk of Superior Court, showing income and disbursements;
● Distributing the rest of the estate as required by the decedent’s will or by state intestacy law.
Such laws vary by state and even, in some cases, by county or municipality. In North Carolina, for instance, if a person dies without leaving a will and legal beneficiaries cannot be determined by the court, the value of the person’s holdings “escheats” to the state, which then donates the value to the to an authority which provides loans to worthy and needy North Carolina students in State-supported institutions of higher education.
Your first call should be to the Superior Court Clerk’s office in the county in which the decedent owned property.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Power of Words
A few Christmases ago my wife gave me a book, autographed by the author. He is a famous sports person from around these parts; you’d instantly recognize the name if I told it to you. But if I did that at this point, SOME of you would simply stop reading this article, or decide that everything I write from this point forward was somehow tainted. Silly, yes… but true. At least around these parts.
The writer of this book is a coach. He’s a motivator, a teacher, a counselor. The nature of his job requires him to discern and understand how to get the very best out of each player, in order to reach a common goal for the whole team. He’s pretty good at it. One of the primary tools he uses to accomplish this is language, and this coach is clearly a lover of language. The whole book is about the way that the words we choose to use can either build up or tear down… create or destroy… amplify or obliterate.
When I unwrapped the present that Christmas, it was a nice surprise. It wasn’t a book I would have looked for at the bookstore. In fact, I didn’t even know that the coach had written it; my wife found out about it through a book-signing event at her work. “Look inside the cover,” she said.
What I saw there spoke to me. The coach had written: “Robert, always believe in the power of words.”
Like the coach, my mother was also a lover of language. She was an English major in college, and she taught me the ways that words can work together to create literal works of art. My mother planted the seeds of language in my soul when I was a child. Two other women, both teachers – Mrs. Eubanks in the 4th and 5th grades and Mrs. Tennant in the 8th grade – cultivated those seeds and helped grow them strong. And so now I’m a lover of language, too.
So… why did the coach’s note matter? It’s not because we’re friends. I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve been within 100 yards of each other. It’s not because he’s well known; my career in television taught me that famous people can often be the most plastic and shallow individuals on the planet.
The coach’s words matter simply because they are true. Words ARE powerful.
One of the things most important to my work in Real Estate is clear and effective communication. It’s what brings parties together. It keeps things on track. It’s what keeps transactions moving forward. If you know someone looking for help in buying or selling a house, I hope you’ll ask them to give me a call.
I’ll use the best words I know in order to help them.
Robert Flinn, REALTOR®/Broker
919-402-1242 (Direct) - 919-698-2040 (Cell)
rflinn@fmrealty.com (email)
The writer of this book is a coach. He’s a motivator, a teacher, a counselor. The nature of his job requires him to discern and understand how to get the very best out of each player, in order to reach a common goal for the whole team. He’s pretty good at it. One of the primary tools he uses to accomplish this is language, and this coach is clearly a lover of language. The whole book is about the way that the words we choose to use can either build up or tear down… create or destroy… amplify or obliterate.
When I unwrapped the present that Christmas, it was a nice surprise. It wasn’t a book I would have looked for at the bookstore. In fact, I didn’t even know that the coach had written it; my wife found out about it through a book-signing event at her work. “Look inside the cover,” she said.
What I saw there spoke to me. The coach had written: “Robert, always believe in the power of words.”
Like the coach, my mother was also a lover of language. She was an English major in college, and she taught me the ways that words can work together to create literal works of art. My mother planted the seeds of language in my soul when I was a child. Two other women, both teachers – Mrs. Eubanks in the 4th and 5th grades and Mrs. Tennant in the 8th grade – cultivated those seeds and helped grow them strong. And so now I’m a lover of language, too.
So… why did the coach’s note matter? It’s not because we’re friends. I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve been within 100 yards of each other. It’s not because he’s well known; my career in television taught me that famous people can often be the most plastic and shallow individuals on the planet.
The coach’s words matter simply because they are true. Words ARE powerful.
One of the things most important to my work in Real Estate is clear and effective communication. It’s what brings parties together. It keeps things on track. It’s what keeps transactions moving forward. If you know someone looking for help in buying or selling a house, I hope you’ll ask them to give me a call.
I’ll use the best words I know in order to help them.
Robert Flinn, REALTOR®/Broker
919-402-1242 (Direct) - 919-698-2040 (Cell)
rflinn@fmrealty.com (email)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Agent of Change
In May of 1975 I graduated from Nathan Hale High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Earlier this summer some folks from my graduating class celebrated the (gulp) 35th anniversary of our graduation. It was a casual reunion and I wasn’t able to join them. But as a run-up to the event — and also thanks to the social networks like FaceBook that make such things possible — I have been able to reconnect with many of my classmates from high school.
It’s amazing to see how almost everyone has changed! Hairlines have receded. Waistlines have expanded. Age and life and experiences have taken the fresh young teenagers that I remember and turned them into people who look a lot like my parents looked when I was in high school. I would recognize only a handful of them today if we ran into each other at the airport.
I wish my memories of that period of my life were more clear. They might be if I had stayed in Oklahoma and had kept in touch with my fellow former Hale Rangers. But, even still, my wife and I often realize that things we knew well when we lived in Tulsa or Oklahoma City or Lincoln or Greenville or Cedar Rapids or Las Vegas are now getting dusty in our memories.
Sometimes I envy folks who manage to stay in one place for most of their lives. My sister and her family have lived in the same place for nearly 25 years. Friends I have here in North Carolina grew up in several places within the community but have never left the area. Some of my friends from high school still call Tulsa home.
I’ve said it before in these pages: Transitions are difficult. Change can often be uncomfortable. But in a world where it sometimes seems that the only constant is change, the measure is not about how or when changes happen, but rather about how we deal with them when they occur. Some changes come suddenly; an accident, a death, or an abrupt shift in our well-laid plans for our lives. Some changes take more time; and our challenge then is to deal with the uncertainty… the NOT knowing… which can be equally as hard, if not even harder.
As a Real Estate broker, I’m in the change business. I regularly help folks uproot everything comfortable in their lives and — for a brief period of time — venture into chaos. And I think it’s hallowed ground. Few things have a stronger hold on our emotions than the places we call home, and the fortunes we’ve invested in them.
Understanding that… honoring that, I think, is an important part of what I do.
Robert Flinn, REALTOR®/Broker
919-698-2040 (Direct) - 919-402-1242 (Office)
rflinn@fmrealty.com (email)
It’s amazing to see how almost everyone has changed! Hairlines have receded. Waistlines have expanded. Age and life and experiences have taken the fresh young teenagers that I remember and turned them into people who look a lot like my parents looked when I was in high school. I would recognize only a handful of them today if we ran into each other at the airport.
I wish my memories of that period of my life were more clear. They might be if I had stayed in Oklahoma and had kept in touch with my fellow former Hale Rangers. But, even still, my wife and I often realize that things we knew well when we lived in Tulsa or Oklahoma City or Lincoln or Greenville or Cedar Rapids or Las Vegas are now getting dusty in our memories.
Sometimes I envy folks who manage to stay in one place for most of their lives. My sister and her family have lived in the same place for nearly 25 years. Friends I have here in North Carolina grew up in several places within the community but have never left the area. Some of my friends from high school still call Tulsa home.
I’ve said it before in these pages: Transitions are difficult. Change can often be uncomfortable. But in a world where it sometimes seems that the only constant is change, the measure is not about how or when changes happen, but rather about how we deal with them when they occur. Some changes come suddenly; an accident, a death, or an abrupt shift in our well-laid plans for our lives. Some changes take more time; and our challenge then is to deal with the uncertainty… the NOT knowing… which can be equally as hard, if not even harder.
As a Real Estate broker, I’m in the change business. I regularly help folks uproot everything comfortable in their lives and — for a brief period of time — venture into chaos. And I think it’s hallowed ground. Few things have a stronger hold on our emotions than the places we call home, and the fortunes we’ve invested in them.
Understanding that… honoring that, I think, is an important part of what I do.
Robert Flinn, REALTOR®/Broker
919-698-2040 (Direct) - 919-402-1242 (Office)
rflinn@fmrealty.com (email)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
What's Your Name Again?
When I’m hosting an Open House, I like to ask my guests if they’re working with a real estate agent. Sometimes they say “no” and that may give me an opportunity to offer my assistance when they need it. If they say “yes,” my next question is to ask them the name of the agent with whom they're working. I think it’s important to follow up with that agent and let them know that one of their clients visited my listing.
Often, though, my question of who they’re working with is met with something of a deer-in-the-headlights look and a prolonged “uuhhhhhh…”. According to the way I run my business, something is definitely wrong with that picture. Allow me to illustrate.
A little over four yeas ago I bought a new car. Just about every day since then, I’ve gotten into that car, turned the key, and driven it somewhere. My car is a vital part of my live… just as your car is probably vital to your life. We couldn’t get along very well without them, could we? And yet, as important as that car is to me and my business, I don’t remember the name of the guy who sold it to me. Why? Because I’ve never heard from him since the day I bought the thing. Our relationship ended the instant I drove away from his dealership.
Would I like to have a continuing relationship with someone in the car-selling business? Absolutely. I Would appreciate having that person as a resource if I had a question about anything related to automobiles. He might not immediately know the answer, but he could point me in the right direction. I would value that relationship.
I very firmly believe that the real estate business is a relationship business. The transaction that initially connects me with a Buyer or a Seller is the catalyst to that relationship. For a relatively brief period of time, I’m collaborating very closely with a client to help them achieve something very important — the buying or selling of a home. But after that — after the transaction is complete — it’s totally up to me to keep that relationship alive… to keep in contact with folks that I’ve helped in the past, with the intent to help them or someone they know in the future. I want to be a resource for folks about ANYthing having to do with real estate, at any time… not just when there’s a home to buy or sell.
That’s what it means to me to be “working” with a real estate agent. And those folks who came to my open house and couldn’t bring their agent’s name to mind? Well… they just don’t know what they’re missing.
Robert Flinn, REALTOR®/Broker
919-698-2040 (Direct)
919-402-1242 (Office)
rflinn@fmrealty.com (email)
Often, though, my question of who they’re working with is met with something of a deer-in-the-headlights look and a prolonged “uuhhhhhh…”. According to the way I run my business, something is definitely wrong with that picture. Allow me to illustrate.
A little over four yeas ago I bought a new car. Just about every day since then, I’ve gotten into that car, turned the key, and driven it somewhere. My car is a vital part of my live… just as your car is probably vital to your life. We couldn’t get along very well without them, could we? And yet, as important as that car is to me and my business, I don’t remember the name of the guy who sold it to me. Why? Because I’ve never heard from him since the day I bought the thing. Our relationship ended the instant I drove away from his dealership.
Would I like to have a continuing relationship with someone in the car-selling business? Absolutely. I Would appreciate having that person as a resource if I had a question about anything related to automobiles. He might not immediately know the answer, but he could point me in the right direction. I would value that relationship.
I very firmly believe that the real estate business is a relationship business. The transaction that initially connects me with a Buyer or a Seller is the catalyst to that relationship. For a relatively brief period of time, I’m collaborating very closely with a client to help them achieve something very important — the buying or selling of a home. But after that — after the transaction is complete — it’s totally up to me to keep that relationship alive… to keep in contact with folks that I’ve helped in the past, with the intent to help them or someone they know in the future. I want to be a resource for folks about ANYthing having to do with real estate, at any time… not just when there’s a home to buy or sell.
That’s what it means to me to be “working” with a real estate agent. And those folks who came to my open house and couldn’t bring their agent’s name to mind? Well… they just don’t know what they’re missing.
Robert Flinn, REALTOR®/Broker
919-698-2040 (Direct)
919-402-1242 (Office)
rflinn@fmrealty.com (email)
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Help That Matters
The Friday before Memorial Day is something of an anniversary date for me. Six years ago on that very day my 20-year career in television marketing came to a screeching halt, without fanfare or ceremony. Maybe it was a fitting end for an inauspicious beginning.
I got into the television business through a side door, as a news producer. I doubt such a thing would ever happen the same way again: a News Director friend of mine hired me — with ZERO experience — to produce weekend newscasts. I liked the technology but hated the news business. For two years I was just this side of miserable. “But hey,” I’d say, “those people upstairs in the Promotion department sure seem to be having a good time.” So I landed a creative services job in an even bigger market, found my niche, and — just like that — my rocket was lit.
Commercial television is a high-octane business. That’s part of what makes it fun. But it’s also incredibly transitional, filled with what has to be a disproportionate number of really bad managers. In order to move up, one usually has to move on. Sometimes that’s by choice and sometimes it’s not. Consequently, my wife and I moved 9 times in 13 years. But well before that fateful Memorial Day weekend I decided that I wasn’t going to “move on” from North Carolina. My family liked it here, we had found a cherished church and we had developed an invaluable circle of friends. I decided it was time to reinvent myself.
And so in the spring of 2004 I earned my real estate license and joined Fonville Morisey. My 6th year anniversary was earlier this summer. But here’s what else happened this summer: I closed on my 100th transaction for someone buying or selling a home in the Triangle. For me, that’s something to celebrate.
One of the things I like about my work in Real Estate is that I get to get involved in the hopes and dreams of my clients. I get to make a difference. In commercial television, despite all of the meters and ratings books and other ways to measure one’s impact, my work just didn’t ever seem to matter. Not so any longer. I know my work has mattered to at least 100 folks since June of 2004. I’m not sure I tallied that same number after 20 years in TV.
And you know what? You’re reading these words today because YOU matter. You’re someone who I’ve helped in the past, or someone who I hope to help in the future. And If you know someone else who can benefit from my assistance, I’d love it if you’d pass my name along.
Robert Flinn, REALTOR®/Broker
919-698-2040 (Direct)
919-402-1242 (Office)
rflinn@fmrealty.com (email)
I got into the television business through a side door, as a news producer. I doubt such a thing would ever happen the same way again: a News Director friend of mine hired me — with ZERO experience — to produce weekend newscasts. I liked the technology but hated the news business. For two years I was just this side of miserable. “But hey,” I’d say, “those people upstairs in the Promotion department sure seem to be having a good time.” So I landed a creative services job in an even bigger market, found my niche, and — just like that — my rocket was lit.
Commercial television is a high-octane business. That’s part of what makes it fun. But it’s also incredibly transitional, filled with what has to be a disproportionate number of really bad managers. In order to move up, one usually has to move on. Sometimes that’s by choice and sometimes it’s not. Consequently, my wife and I moved 9 times in 13 years. But well before that fateful Memorial Day weekend I decided that I wasn’t going to “move on” from North Carolina. My family liked it here, we had found a cherished church and we had developed an invaluable circle of friends. I decided it was time to reinvent myself.
And so in the spring of 2004 I earned my real estate license and joined Fonville Morisey. My 6th year anniversary was earlier this summer. But here’s what else happened this summer: I closed on my 100th transaction for someone buying or selling a home in the Triangle. For me, that’s something to celebrate.
One of the things I like about my work in Real Estate is that I get to get involved in the hopes and dreams of my clients. I get to make a difference. In commercial television, despite all of the meters and ratings books and other ways to measure one’s impact, my work just didn’t ever seem to matter. Not so any longer. I know my work has mattered to at least 100 folks since June of 2004. I’m not sure I tallied that same number after 20 years in TV.
And you know what? You’re reading these words today because YOU matter. You’re someone who I’ve helped in the past, or someone who I hope to help in the future. And If you know someone else who can benefit from my assistance, I’d love it if you’d pass my name along.
Robert Flinn, REALTOR®/Broker
919-698-2040 (Direct)
919-402-1242 (Office)
rflinn@fmrealty.com (email)
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About Me
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- ROBERT FLINN
- Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Hillsborough, North Carolina
- I am a dedicated, dependable, patient and professional Real Estate Advisor for you and for people you care about.
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