Why Hyattsville Real Estate Blog

The Referral - God's gift to the small business owner

This past week, I was talking with a friend while having a drink downtown.  "I looked at a condo on Sunday", he stated matter of factly.  Immediately, my ears got hot and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.  This person is a close friend of mine and they are out looking at homes without talking to me first?

Me: "You know that I am a Realtor and can help you with finding a home, right?"

Friend: "Yeah, but I didn't want to take up your time"

Wow.  At that point it occurred to me, I need to do a better job of letting people know how important their business is to me.  Talking to a new client who is excited to buy a home is like Christmas morning.  It overwhelms me with joy when I get a referral from a friend, family member or neighbor.  I really, really, really want your business!

So please, TAKE UP MY TIME!  Big or small, I will be happy to answer any real estate questions you have.

Because Hyattsville is Cooler Than Your Neighborhood

A few months ago, I wrote an article for the Hyattsville Life and Times titled, "Because Hyattsville is Cooler Than Your Neighborhood".  Recently, I realized I never posted the article to the web.  So here you go:

"Swell, groovy, hip, radical, krunk. Each generation has their own words to define that special feeling. It’s the feeling that you get when you are in the presence of something that makes you happy and excited. It is being Cool." More...

Hyattsville H4X Episode 52: Solar Powered

Sunday night the Hyattsville H4X were back in action.  Unfortunately, Tim had a prior committment, so Chris and I recorded the podcast. 

Items in this episode include:

1. Travel, My improv performance with Jinx of the Washington Improv Theater, the New Media Expo, and a phone call to Tim.

2. University Town Center development, new restaurants, real estate, tequila and corn smut.

3. The Solar Decathlon, University of Maryland and Garth Rockcastle.

4. Status of the Hyattsville Life & Times electronic edition, the state of the independent book store, and watching yourself on video.

Music by Voicedude, "In MMMY Bop Life," www.mashuptown.com.

Congratulations Christian!

The University Town Center is officially open for business.  This past week, my client Christian settled on a one bedroom unit on the Fourth floor of One Independence Plaza.  He opted for the high-end appliance package.  When you push a button on the microwave, the exhaust door opens up like a Lamborghini.  The refrigerator also has a chiller drawer that can chill a warm six pack of beer in fifteen minutes.  Now that is what I call a high quality of life.

I Love Hyattsville Because...

(Sorry for the all caps post, but this is how the reader sent it to me.  I am assuming that she is so excited about Hyattsville that she is Capslock screaming.)

I CAME TO THE AREA 20 YEARS TO GO TO UMD AND STAYED.
THE LOCATION IS CENTRAL TO ALL TRANSPORTATION CONNECTORS: 95, 295, MARC, METRO AND OTHERS--A COMMUTERS DREAM...
AFFORDABLE COZY OLDER OLDER HOMES ON TREE-LINED STREETS WILL SOON SHARE THE TERRAIN WITH MODERN UPSCALE CONDOS THUS BRINGING IN NEW YOUNG SINGLES AND WORKING COUPLES ADDING ECOMONIC DIVERSITY TO AN ALREADY CULTURALLY RICH MELIEU.
AND WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS SUPPORTING NEW ARTS CORRIDOR AND THE EXPANSION OF THE SHOPPING AVAILABLE IN PRINCE GEORGES PLAZA AREA, THERE SHOULD BE LOTS MORE TO DO AND SEE HERE VERY SHORTLY.
NESTLED BETWEEN DC AND BALTIMORE, IT IS THE HAPPENING PLACE!

Sharon

If you are interested in sharing your reason for living in Hyattsville please email Greg at gregtindale@gmail.com with the subject line: I love Hyattsville because...

Real Estate Agent Photos

Real Estate Agents are similar to Congressmen.  If you ask people what they think of Agents overall often times they say they are lousy.  But if you ask them what they think about the Agent that represents them, they say they love him and he is doing a great job.  I often times try and reconcile this idea in my mind.  I have came to the conclusion that this is one of the only businesses where the learning curve is so public.  Thousands of new Agents get their license each year and the majority don't know how to create marketing.  The most noticable example is Real Estate Agent Photos. 

I have posted below my own business card photos from my real estate sales career.  As you will see I fell into the same clueless category as many of my colleagues.  Picture 1: Nobody wants to buy a home from that 8th grader who doesn't show any teeth when he smiles.  Picture 2: Crooked tie and squinting in the sun is no way to go through life son.  Picture 3: My current photo, safe from criticizm until I get a new one.

 

I Love Hyattsville Because...

My husband and I moved to Hyattsville April 1st, 1937.  Prior to that we lived on the top floor of a home in Washington DC.  In the summer it got very warm and there wasn't any air conditioning yet so we thought it would be nice to move out of the city and into a real home.  In that time new homes cost around $10,000.00.  We raised five children who all went to Hyattsville Elementary and Northwestern.  I also worked for the WSSC for 13 years.  Just about everybody on the block worked there.  For entertainment we would go to an old movie theatre in Hyattsville that had a piano that played along with the movies.  They would also have talent nights for people to perform.

Louise

If you are interested in sharing your reason for living in Hyattsville please email Greg at gregtindale@gmail.com with the subject line: I love Hyattsville because...

Hyattsville Hits Saturday Night Live

I just caught the season premier of Saturday Night Live on my DVR.  The host Lebron James did a pretty good job following in the footsteps of past host/athletes Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and Peyton Manning.  The part that jumped out for me was a scene where the musical guest Kanye West was making fun of his brash "I'm the best at everything" mentality.  If you fast forward to the final 3 minute mark of the clip below, Kanye crashes the acceptance speech of Hyattsville's own Nobel award winner John Mather.  Kanye exclaims, "Oh Hell no!  This is ridiculous man.  How the Nobel Peace Prize for Physics gonna go to anyont but me?"  Priceless.

(Please note that this clip also has unrelated material including the cartoon of the Ambiguoulsy Gay Duo making fun of Senator Larry Craig.  Also very funny.)

I Love Hyattsville Because...

I moved to Hyattsville in 1962, bought a "starter house" intending to stay for 5 years or so - still here 44 years later, simply because I never found anyplace better. A genuine community with small town atmosphere, affordable and accessible.

Stephen Clements

If you are interested in sharing your reason for living in Hyattsville please email Greg at gregtindale@gmail.com with the subject line: I love Hyattsville because...

Creative DC and DC Comedy 4 Now

In an article I wrote for the Hyattsville Life and Times that should come out in the October issue, I stress that it is necessary to resist the urge to acquiesce to popular culture.  There is more to life than Boy Bands and Game Shows where you have to pick an item of luggage that has a monetary value assigned to it.

Two great blogs highlight local people who are using their talents to entertain us all.  Creative DC blogger Amanda Hirsch has three goals:

1. Help inspire DC residents who haven't yet tapped into a creative community here,
2. Help people learn about creative groups, projects and businesses, and
3. Help reshape the mainstream image of DC.

Another excellent blog is DCcomedy4Now.  The 4 bloggers have made it their jobs "To give you an unique perspective on improv, sketch and stand-up in the nation's capital...4 now."  Before I got involved with the Washington Improv Theater, I had no idea this stuff was going on in DC.  You could plan weeks of laughter from this website.  I especially like the posts of the eloquent Jason Saenz.  This is a man who knows how to bring his brick.