Scoot Tuna

2011-06-28T08:50:00.000-04:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"Competition will always place your life in the hands of others, while initiative gives you the freedom to choose your own destiny."
- Willard & Marguerite Beecher

BEAT THE OTHER GUYS!

From childhood we learn to win by competing. If one marble player wins, the other loses. If our football team wins, the opposition loses. If we earn top honors for the greatest sales volume or number of transactions, our fellow associates don't. We are taught to be competitive - and we learn the lesson well.

In being competitive, however, we must always measure our success in relation to others. First we choose the leader whom we must surpass. Our objective is to exceed the performance of that individual - the current Number One. Then, when we become the leader, we live in constant fear of having our performance exceeded by those striving from below to surpass us.

By always competing, then, we are not free to focus on doing our very best. Everything we do is related to what others have done or may do. A refreshing alternative is to put initiative to work. You freely choose your own destiny, then work to achieve it - totally oblivious to what others around you are doing.

Initiative begins with a delightful vision of yourself achieving what you think is important. Followed up with action, you achieve not only your objectives, but also the thrill and satisfaction of knowing you are in charge

Need information abut the Wilmington, NC real estate market? Visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ to search area listings, find New Hanover County school information, local links and more. And if you have questions or comments, contact me at (910) 619-1501 or russ@russmay.com

2011-06-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"Life is not always what the brochure promises."

- Amb Alon Pinkas

AWAKE THE SLEEPING GIANT!

So . . . which brochure have you been reading? Maybe it's the one that promises "clear sailing" or "romantic sunsets" or "excitement guaranteed!" Maybe you're into the financial brochures that read "no money down" or "financial freedom in 30 days" or "sell a million dollars a month without leaving home."

For many years now, the brochures of our lives have promised and delivered success, satisfaction, and wealth. It's been a good run. There's another brochure many of us have signed onto - "for better or for worse." Notice that the "for better" comes first, and so it has been for a long time.

Nevertheless, our country experiences cycles, as do our lives. Few of us living today have ever experienced a serious "for worse" part of the national cycle. Yet, it has been those periods in the history of our country that have brought out the best in us. The Great Depression of the thirties was the catalyst for the strong work ethic of the baby boomers. Two world wars taught us to value our freedom.

So, maybe life isn't always "what the brochure promises." If we're entering one of those periods when we are to be tested, so be it. We are a resilient people. While we may have been dozing at the internal security wheel, lulled by the smooth purring of our national economic engine, we are also able to awaken in an instant. Our purpose and principles can quickly be brought to full throttle.

No matter the threat, we are a people united by the brochure's great promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - ready, willing, and able to serve. Be alert and be of service!

Need information abut the Wilmington, NC real estate market? Visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ to search area listings, find New Hanover County school information, local links and more. And if you have questions or comments, contact me at (910) 619-1501 or russ@russmay.com

2011-06-14T10:59:00.001-04:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"Men are disturbed not by things that happen, but by their opinions of the things that happen." - Epictetus

NO FEAR!

A well-known motivational speaker once said, "No one knows enough to be a pessimist." He also quoted statistics showing that a very high percentage of the things we worry about are either A) things that never happen, or B) things over which we have no control anyway. His point? Not only do we not have enough information to justify our worries, we also are virtually unable to alter the outcome of most situations.

Our worst fears are generally of the unknown (not enough information). Our imagination runs wild, conjuring up worst-case scenarios. We become fearful, anxious, and even overwhelmed - yet the source of our fear is non-existent (except in our minds).

"Think you can - think you can't - either way you're right."

"As a man thinketh, so is he."

"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours."

In other words, by your thoughts alone, you control the outcome. Although there exist many risks to our peace-of-mind during this uncertain time, we still have the ability to pursue our very best hopes and dreams. We may find that their achievement requires more effort than usual. Doubt may creep in. Nevertheless, as you have heard many times, "It's all in your head."

Thinking about buyinf or selling a home in the Wilmington, NC area? Want to know what's going on in the Wilmington, NC real estate market? Do you know how low current mortgage interest rates are? Call me or visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ for up to date information.

THINKING

2011-05-31T16:42:00.000-04:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: Everyone says it differently, but the message is the same.

Here are three oft-quoted thoughts on "thinking": "You are what you think about all day long." "Your life is what your thoughts make of it." "As you think, so shall you be."

THINK!

What is a thought? Scientifically speaking, it is nothing more than a random electrical impulse in the brain. If you are relaxing, not focusing on any particular thoughts, your brain continues to fire off those random impulses which, in turn, are triggering random, unfocused thoughts - like the itch on your arm, how hummingbirds fly, or your Aunt Ellen's new car.

What's interesting is that everything in sight of you right now is the result of someone's focused thoughts. The computer screen, the window nearby, and the chair in which you are sitting came into existence as the result of a single focused thought. Henry Ford thought about a V-8 engine for his cars, and then insisted that his engineers create it. Jonas Sauk thought about eliminating polio - and did.

Whether you choose to focus your thoughts or not, your day will be filled with them. They just don't stop. But wait - there's an "Aha!" or a "Voila!" in here for you. Just think of the possibilities when you realize the power of thought - and put it to work for you. The amazing thing about thoughts is that you have complete control over them. You either put these electrical impulses to work for you through focused attention - or they happen anyway, but in a random, impotent manner akin to a static electrical discharge.

Everything tangible in our world today was created by an action, preceded by someone's thought - from a straight pin to a Pentium processor, from a blight-free American chestnut tree to your garage-door opener. So - what thoughts will you be having today?

They don't have to be life-changing or global in scope to make your personal world better. They need only be focused. Just remember, you control your thoughts - and their possibilities are endless.

Choose wisely when picking a real estate agent. Search all available homes for sale in the Wilmington, NC area at http://www.russmay.com/ and check out my latest website at http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

2011-04-27T12:52:00.000-04:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." - Henry David Thoreau

BUILD YOUR OWN!

"Follow the yellow brick road," sang Dorothy and her unusual entourage in The Wizard of Oz, as they marched toward the Emerald City. The road was clear and their direction set. What they didn't know was that the good witch and the joyful munchkins had sent them down a road leading to a wanna-be fake wizard behind a curtain.

Have you ever had friends or family direct you to take a "yellow brick road" of their imagining? If you blindly followed their advice, you may have ended up in your own Emerald City of disappointment. The truth is that you have the power to create and follow a yellow brick road of your own, one that leads to the realization of your dreams.

The hard part is that YOU must also lay the paving stones of that road. You must first decide on a destination, and then be certain that each brick faces in that direction. Along the way, you may be distracted by winged monkeys or a wicked witch of your own making. If you succumb to those distractions, you may look back to find that your paving stones are uneven and lead in the wrong direction.

Only by having your destination clearly in mind will you arrive unscathed by life's many dead-ends and hairpin twists and turns. You must also be committed to the work involved - choosing only the right bricks, having the patience and perseverance to lay them straight, and the strength to avoid life's temptations as you work.

In the words of Thoreau - "If you have built castles in the air . . . "

BUILD A WALL OF HAPPINESS!

2011-04-12T13:48:00.002-04:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: "To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." - Henry David Thoreau
"To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition." - Samuel Johnson
"Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out." - Robert Frost

BUILD A WALL OF HAPPINESS!

To affect the quality of anything first requires action of some sort. Affecting is the opposite of passivity. In a passive state we can only BE affected, but we ourselves have no effect on our surroundings or other people. Hold that thought for a moment and consider next the result of your "affecting."

If, as Johnson recites, being "happy at home" is the ultimate result of your ambition, then why are you working so hard? Is there a way to avoid working evenings and weekends? Could you schedule your child's soccer game into the week's plans? Is that next appointment more important than celebrating life with your spouse at anniversary time?

One way to affect the quality of your day, which in turn may result in happiness at home, is to "build a wall," to paraphrase Frost. Keep in mind that walls may limit you if they are constructed of heavy gauge steel and mesh rimmed with concertina wire. Walls can also be formed as a low hedge or a split-rail fence - even more simply as a line in the sand. Rather than limiting us, they become a mere reminder of how far we are willing to go.

As we affect the quality of our life and push our ambition to the limit, we may also make choices about the boundaries of our lives. By choosing sound principles of living, for example, we may say "No" to friendships with those who operate outside our boundaries of accepted activities. We may decline meaningless activities, or the occasional committee appointment, which robs us of our valuable time.

Ambition leads to action. Your ambition leads you to affect the quality of the day through some action. So what is the ultimate result of your ambition transformed into action? Johnson suggests it is "to be happy at home."

In the end, WE are solely responsible for affecting the quality of our individual lives. We must choose wisely.

Choose wisely when picking a real estate agent as well. Search all available homes for sale in the Wilmington, NC area at http://www.russmay.com/ and check out my latest website at http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

EXTREME OR TEMPERATE?

2011-04-05T11:22:00.000-04:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"Temperance in all things!"
- Harry S Truman

Extreme or Temperate?

You can see it on TV almost every day - extreme football, extreme wrestling, extreme police chases, extreme everything. The TV networks seem to be competing to capture our attention with one-upsmanship to the extreme.
If you're in your 20's to mid 30's, doing things to the extreme may be attractive to you. If you're 35-45, you may be starting to question whether it's necessary to carry things quite so far. If you're over 45, your age of wisdom may have set in - leading you in another direction - towards temperance. The good news is that it's beneficial at any age.

Recently on TV, there was an old interview with Harry Truman at the age of 77. The interviewer David Susskind asked, "To what do you attribute your energy and vitality at age 77?" Truman shot back with noticeable conviction, "Temperance in all things. I take plenty of rest, sleep well at night, and eat the right foods. That leaves me ready to face the challenges of being president."

What a simple word - "temperance." Webster defines it as "moderation in action or thought; restraint; marked by moderation, as in keeping within limits." It does not mean total abstinence or prohibition of action. It is merely a concept that takes into account reasonable, self-imposed limits.
Some see temperance as "clean living." By whatever name, it can bring peace, tranquility, good health, high self-esteem, satisfaction, and financial freedom. What are your self-imposed limits?

When you're searching for Wilmington, NC real estate information, please call me or visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ For information regarding the Wilmington Convention Center, please visit http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

You're the Star!

2011-03-15T09:21:00.000-04:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Your imagination is the preview to life's coming attractions." - Albert Einstein

Do you believe Orville & Wilbur were first to fly because they had a hammer, nails and a free weekend? Think the television was created by accident? Did Bill Gates just stumble upon the software code that has changed the world? Not a chance!

The Wright brothers created the previews of their first flight in the theatre of their minds. Naturally, there were no limitations to their imaginings as they dreamed of flying. Who knows how the dream of television became reality . . . how it was transformed from a mere visualization into vacuum tubes, knobs, and channels?

What went through Bill Gates' mind prior to his early experiments? Surely his first visions were not of a colorful package entitled "Windows 2000." Nevertheless, his vivid imagination took us all from the concept of "1's" and "0's" to today's monumentally complex world of computer software and internet browsers.

What about you? What goes on in your mind's eye while no one is looking? What do you see yourself doing in one, three, or five years? Do you hear a special future beckoning you to create an action thriller from the previews running through your imagination? Is there a stirring inside you that begs to be brought to fruition?

Why not grab some popcorn, a soft drink, and settle quietly into your favorite chair to enjoy the previews of your own imagination? Then, with a clear picture fresh in your mind, create the main attraction - your life!

Who Are You?

2011-03-01T08:39:00.000-05:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"If you don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere . . . else." - David Campbell, PhD

In the book "Unstoppable" by Cynthia Kersey, a cartoon appears showing a ship loaded with unkempt, bearded galley slaves rowing their life away at full-tilt. One of them says to another, "I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific!"

Chances are good that you work 8-10 hours each day, have 6-8 hours of discretionary time, and sleep 8 hours each day. Whether or not you choose to be specific about your direction in life, it's highly likely that the sun will come up and go down every 24 hours anyway. In other words, "If you don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere . . . else."

The alternative is really so much easier. In fact, it's downright exciting to think that you can be any "somebody" you want, just by deciding who that somebody will be. Really.

Instead of just fantasizing or daydreaming about the person you'd like to be, start acting like that person. Ask yourself how that person would act, talk, and walk. Begin taking on the characteristics of that person in your daily life, and then be passionate about it.

So often, we create our own limitations but simply fail to be more specific about our direction. We're like the farmer who placed a small growing pumpkin in a mason jar, then rediscovered it at harvest time. When the farmer broke the mason jar, he had a pumpkin which had grown to the exact (limiting) shape of the jar.

We are as limitless as our imagination will allow. When we break the mold - the mason jar - in which we have contained our growth, we will finally learn to fly. In the words of Richard Bach from his book Illusions, "In order to live free and happily, you must sacrifice boredom. It is not always an easy sacrifice."

An Important Message For You & Those You Love -- It Can Wait

2011-02-15T11:25:00.018-05:00

Click on this video link -- AT&T Don't Text While Driving Documentary

When you're searching for Wilmington, NC real estate information, please call me or visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ For information regarding the Wilmington Convention Center, please visit http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

Make Your Own Wake

2011-02-08T10:34:00.000-05:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"You can be happy without expecting others to agree with you."

- Kathleen Russell & Larry Wall, from "Achieving Your Dreams"

DON'T TELL!

One of Garth Brooks' tunes goes like this: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained - sometimes you've got to go against the grain!" What is this "grain" we seem to fear going against? Chances are it's really what people will think about us for venturing in a new direction - not some immobile obstacle we cannot physically overcome.

Author/philosopher Wayne Dyer speaks on this topic in one of his programs. He equates our lives to being in a boat and watching the wake it leaves behind as it moves through the water. He explains that the wake is not what powers us through life, it is merely what we leave behind - our history - where we have been.

Often, the "grain" we go against is really someone else's "wake." Others may say something like "That's never been done before," or "We've always done it this way," or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." That's their wake - not yours!

Do you have a dream? Is there something you want to achieve that others might not understand? Don't tell them! It's not necessary to tell anyone what you are doing or planning. If your plan is radical, "they" probably wouldn't understand anyway.

So - live your dream. Plan it, execute it, and enjoy it. Make your own wake!

When you're searching for Wilmington, NC real estate information, please call me or visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ For information regarding the Wilmington Convention Center, please visit http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

Make it a great week!

2011-02-01T12:05:00.003-05:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:"Opportunities are seldom labeled." - John A. Shedd

FILL IN THE BLANK!
From "Wellsprings of Wisdom" by Ralph Woods comes this story:

A successful businessman was invited to address a group of young executives on the subject of opportunities. He began his talk by tacking to the wall a big sheet of white paper and placing a black dot in the middle of the sheet. "What do you see?" he asked, pointing to the paper on the wall. "A black spot," called out everyone in the audience. "Yes, I see a black dot too," replied the speaker, "but none of you saw the much greater expanse of white. This is the point of my talk on opportunities."

While it is so easy to focus on the "black dots" - the immediate tasks that face us each day - how often do you grasp the opportunities that no one else notices in the white space? Don't answer that you haven't the time to notice the white space. Do you ever find yourself daydreaming? When you do, you're visiting that white space. The question is: Do you recognize your ability to bring those daydreams to fruition?

Look around you. Do you find yourself envying what others accomplish? Perhaps you can learn from their example. All they have done is to act on their dreams - to recognize the value of their white space and put it into motion.

So - what's missing in your life? Why not try filling in the blanks - the white spaces - with the achievement of your dreams? Maybe a legal pad and pencil can help. Try making a list of every dream you've ever had. Write them all down, all of them. When you finish, place an asterisk next to the five you would most like to accomplish or experience.
Finally, make those five items the "black dots" upon which you will focus until completed. Once identified, it becomes much easier to concentrate your attention on them. Opportunity knocks!

When you're searching for Wilmington, NC real estate information, please call me or visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ For information regarding the Wilmington Convention Center, please visit http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

Make it a great week!

Better To Attempt and Fail . . .

2011-01-28T17:16:00.000-05:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: "Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor sprits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

BETTER TO ATTEMPT AND FAIL...

In an old "Peanuts" cartoon, Sally is making a list while Charlie Brown looks on. Sally says, "I'm making a list of all the things I've learned in life..." In the next panel she continues with, "Well, actually, I'm making two lists." Charlie asks, "Why is one list longer than the other?" Holding up the much longer list, Sally explains, "These are the things I've learned the hard way!"

It's easy to chuckle a little at the part about "learning things the hard way," isn't it? We've all done that. There's really a more revealing message though in this simple cartoon.

The short list of things we've learned generally contains lessons that required no effort, or lessons we learned passively, while just listening. For instance, we learned simple courtesies from our first grade teacher. We learned historical names and dates from our history teacher. We learned to tie knots from our scout leader. Our parents taught us to share. The list goes on.

The important list, the one that's much longer, contains the things we've learned from experience. These lessons are endless, and no matter how trifling the lesson, we learned one every time we took action. We dared to try a two-wheel bicycle and crashed - several times. We tried out for the school play - and made fools of ourselves in front of friends.

By attempting - at the possible expense of our pride, our self-esteem, or our physical well-being - we either succeeded or failed (and learned a lesson). It is our actions that produce results and teach us those valuable lessons. Teddy Roosevelt said it right: "Far better to dare mighty things..."

To search all Wilmington, NC homes for sale, please visit my website http://www.russmay.com/ Also, I invite you to visit http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/

Pricing Your Home For Sale In Today's Market

2011-01-21T16:35:00.002-05:00

Search all area homes for sale on my website www.russmay.com and check out my newest website www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com

Worry About The Chances You Miss When You Don't Even Try

2011-01-18T12:02:00.000-05:00

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: "You've failed many times, although you may not remember."

You fell down the first time you tried to walk.
You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn't you?
Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat?
Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot.
R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.
English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books.
Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.
Don't worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try."

- Full-page ad published in the Wall Street Journal by United Technologies

"I CAN'T" IS DEAD!

There's a wonderful story in "Chicken Soup For The Soul" about a 4th grade teacher and a funeral. The teacher had her students fill a sheet of notebook paper with all the things they couldn't do. They wrote furiously for quite a while filling their paper with "I can't do ten push-ups," or "I can't kick the soccer ball past second base," or "I can't get Debbie to like me."

The students were then instructed to fold their papers and place them into a shoebox at the front of the room. The teacher then tucked the box under her arm, and invited the students to follow her out into the playground. There, they each took a turn at the shovel and dug a hole four feet deep. The box was placed in the hole and quickly covered with dirt.

The students then held hands while the instructor delivered a eulogy in memory of "I can't." In it, she noted that "I can't" was survived by his brothers and sister, "I can," "I will," and "I'm going to right away."

"I can't" is a close relative to most of us, yet maybe with a little extra effort we can finally let him go. It won't be easy since he's been such a close relation, yet maybe by dwelling on his brothers and sister and their importance to us - we can!

Remember the unforgettable line from "The Little Engine That Could"? "I think I can - I THINK I can! I THINK I CAN!" Don't forget the last line of our quote for the day. "Worry about the chances you'll miss when you don't even try!"

Great Website For Photographers

2011-01-16T12:41:00.000-05:00

Her's a site that photographers of all levels can enjoy. I hope you will http://pixboomba.com/

It offers up some great advice with humor.

I need suggestions for improving this site http://www.wilmingtonconventioncenter.com/ Let me know what you think.

Murchison House - 305 S. 3rd Street Wilmington NC

2011-01-15T16:28:00.000-05:00

Honor Flight Honors Local Vets

2010-10-19T13:28:00.000-04:00

I was a Guardian for the Honor Flight organization and I've included a video of my most recent trip so you can share in excitement and admiration for the 101 veterans we escorted to Washington, DC.

In case you are not familiar with what Honor Flight is, here's a brief description I 'borrowed' from the website:
A non-profit program operated entirely by volunteers, our Wilmington, NC headquarters is affiliated with the national Honor Flight Network and serves veterans of southeastern North Carolina and surrounding areas. Honor Flights demonstrate respect and admiration for these elderly service members by flying them at no cost to Washington, DC to see the magnificent World War II Memorial, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, finally completed in their honor in 2004. They will be accompanied by understanding guardians who will assist with any medical or mobility needs.

It's Confirmed - Major Motion Picture Filming in Wilmington!

2010-10-19T12:58:00.000-04:00

The office of Governor Beverly Perdue announced Monday, "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" will start production later this month in Wilmington. The movie stars Dwayne Johnson and Oscar-winner Michael Caine. New Line Cinema, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, will spend five months in Wilmington.

The film is about a teenager who sets out on a mission with his mother’s boyfriend to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island, according to Internet Movie Database. It’s slated to be released September 23, 2011. And even more exciting is that "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" will use the water tank at Screen Gems for the first time ever along with five of the ten stages at Screen Gems.

“Mysterious Island” is a sequel to “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” That movie, which was released in 2008, had a budget of $45 million and grossed $231 million worldwide. And like the first movie, “The Mysterious Island” will be shot in 3D!

After Foreclosure: How Soon Can You Buy?

2010-10-11T13:25:00.000-04:00

With the rash of foreclosures across the country many people wonder exactly how a foreclosure will affect their home-buying power in the future. Chris Hutchens of Alpha Mortgage provides the following information on the waiting period most lenders follow. In all cases, borrowers must re-establish their credit, meaning they must meet minimum credit score requirements and eligibility requirements.

For buyers who’ve had a foreclosure the typical waiting period is 7 years. There is a three year exception, however, but borrowers must be able to show documentation for an extenuating circumstance, must have at least 10% for the down payment and the purchase must be for a primary residence.

Even if you didn’t go through a full foreclosure Fannie Mae has set requirements for the waiting period for Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure, Pre-Foreclosure and Short Sale to the same limits of:

• 2 Years – 80% Max LTV

• 4 Years – 90% Max LTV

• 7 Years – LTV Ratios Per Eligibility Matrix

And as with foreclosure, if you have a documented extenuating circumstance then you may be eligible to qualify for a two year waiting period if the Max LTV is 90%.

If you have experienced any one of these challenging financial events, please contact your mortgage lender to discuss exactly what your options are before trying to buy a home.

Morning Coffee for October 5th

2010-10-05T13:02:00.000-04:00

Here's a brief article filled with tips from a leading writer and speaker to compliment this week's Morning Coffee.

Have a fantastic week!

Secretary of the Navy Honors Wilmington

2010-10-04T13:03:00.000-04:00

According to a press release from U.S. Representative Mike McIntyre, the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, has accepted his invitation to come to Wilmington to celebrate the 235th birthday of the U.S. Navy aboard the USS North Carolina battleship on October 12th.

McIntyre stated, “This is a great honor that Secretary Mabus would come join us in Wilmington, not only to celebrate the Navy’s birthday, but also to honor veterans and our servicemen and women of all branches of our armed forces. Southeastern North Carolina has a great tradition of honoring those who serve and those who have served our country, and the Secretary’s visit will emphasize that service.”

The ceremony on the battleship is being hosted by the Navy League, a veterans organization that includes those engaged in maritime service, such as the Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, and Merchant Marines.

“The Secretary’s visit will also be an integral part of the ongoing celebration in anticipation of the upcoming commission of the U.S.S. Gravely as the Navy’s newest destroyer, which will be held on November 20th,” continued McIntyre, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee.

16th Annual Cucalorus Film Festival

2010-09-27T13:06:00.000-04:00

What’s up with that name? What’s a Cucalorus?

cuc•a•lor•us n.,
[orig. Gk. kukaloris, the dance of the shadows.]
1. a film set apparatus placed in front of a light source to create a dappled lighting effect on a subject or background. also cookie, UK. gobo.
2. a film festival in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Cucalorus 16: November 11-14, 2010 promises to bring an outstanding lineup of features, documentaries, and shorts to the screen while connecting the brightest artists from around the world. The Brooks Institute recently selected Cucalorus as one of the Top 10 Film Festivals in the US!

Screenings and events are centered mostly in the historic downtown area with Thalian Hall as the focus. Films are also being shown at City Stage Theatre, Jengo’s Playhouse and other venues around town. There will be screenings of over 110 independent and international films! If you’ve never been to the film fest don’t panic. There’s something for everyone. According to the event website,

“Cucalorus screens a little bit of everything. Look for lots of shorts and docs scattered throughout the schedule. Each year, more than 100 films make it onto the lineup. There are roughly 50 narrative and documentary features and about 100 shorts. Short films range from super brief (30 seconds) to 39 minutes. Cucalorus attempts to represent the artform in all its diversity and contradiction.”

That’s a lot of variety and a ton of entertainment! The schedule is expected to be posted in October. Check the website for additional details! Screenings and events sell out every year. Passes are available for purchase now and will be mailed to before October 17. Advance tickets for Thalian Hall screenings can be purchased at the Thalian Hall Box Office (910/343/3664) or online at thalianhall.com. Passes can also be picked up at Jengo's Playhouse anytime before the festival.

If you slacked and waited till the last minute to get passes they can be purchased at each venue but you risk the chance of an event selling out!

Airlie's Oyster Roast Almost Oyster-Less

2010-09-20T13:23:00.000-04:00

Airlie's Annual Low Country Oyster Roast was almost an oyster-less roast due to the Gulf Coast oil spill this year. Many people might have noticed the sign just outside of the park advertising an oyster-less roast this year. That was the brainchild of event organizers who wanted to see what the public reaction would be if oysters were no longer available—ever.

In a letter on the Airlie Garden website Parks and Garden director, Jim McDaniel explains how the Gulf Coast environmental crisis almost ended our local tradition but further explains that our area has been in a coastal crisis for years.

“Airlie Gardens always has been a great resource for providing guests excellent opportunities for hands-on, quality education. This year our Oyster Roast, or Oyster-less Roast as it were, will be no different. This is a chance to focus on our own environment, right here in New Hanover County.”

The Gulf Oil spill created a 'false economy' with Airlie’s normal supplier who began charging $2 per oyster. Fortunately, McDaniel was able to find a new supplier from the Chesapeake area so the roast is on with oysters as is tradition.

This year’s Oyster Roast is Friday, October 15^th. For $75 per person you get steamed oysters, fried fish, and more to fill your belly. You can work off some of the delicious grub dancing to "The Imitations". This event ALWAYS sells out so get your tickets as they go on sale September 1. If you need more information call (910) 798-7700 or visit the park website. All parking is on-site and all proceeds benefit the Environmental Education Program.

Riverfest Returns to Downtown

2010-09-13T13:34:00.000-04:00

The festival begins Saturday, October 2nd and runs through Sunday, October 3rd. There will be live entertainment featured on two outdoor stages along with arts and crafts, exhibits, dance performances, contests, children's activities, food concessions and more! There's a fireworks show beginning at 9:05 PM on Saturday, October 2nd.

The Riverfest coincides with the 6th Annual Invasion of the Pirates. The Invasion hosts a Treasure Hunt for children Saturday, October 2nd from 1-4PM with area merchants. There will be swordsmen demonstrating their skills throughout the day. And in the evening a "pirate ship" flotilla begins at 7:20PM where boats and crews are costumed and decorated. The Flotilla will start at the Memorial Bridge and continue north along the river to Conlon Docks led by the Wilmington Fire Boat, Atlantic VI.

For more information on Riverfest click here or call 910.452.6862.

Tax Credit Extended

2010-09-06T16:00:00.000-04:00

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) worked closely with Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to enact the Homebuyer Tax Credit, the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act (H.R. 5623). Extending the tax credit closing deadline will help provide additional stability to real estate markets across the nation.

The extension applies only to transactions that have ratified contracts in place as of April 30, 2010, that have not yet closed. The legislation is designed to create a seamless extension; the new closing deadline for eligible transactions is now September 30, 2010. There will be no gap between June 30 and the date the President signs the bill into law.

(Source: REALTOR® Action Center)

Wilmington Area Home Sales Up!

2010-09-02T13:06:00.000-04:00

According the stats from the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors (WRAR), area home sales are up for the 10th straight month in a row!

Home sales rose to 507 last month, compared with 416 in June 2009 according to the WRAR. And the Days on Market (DOM) time has dropped from 139 to 119 days in the same period.

The only cloudy bit of news is that there's still room for improvement in the price of homes sold. The average price of homes sold is down 7% to $238,610 from $256,616 in June 2009.

Overall, all our numbers are showing a strong market rebound compared to other areas of the country.

Tuna Salute

2010-05-30T16:12:00.007-04:00

If you can read this message, thank a teacher. If you can read it in English, thank a veteran. - On the back of a T-shirt.

In case you've checked my posting dates, you can see that I have been dormant for a while. I guess I did not have too much to say. Now I do.

I have had the privilege to participate in the Honor Flight program. Honor Flight flies World War II veterans to Washington, DC to see the World War II Memorial and other memorials. This nationwide program is 100% volunteer driven. The purpose of the program is to demonstrate admiration and gratitude to the men and women who served our country with honor.

I had always assumed that WWII veterans came home to parades and much fanfare. In truth, most came home quietly, took off their uniforms, put on their civilian clothes and went out to find a job or go to college on the GI Bill. For most, there has never been a thank you.

The most recent Wilmington flight was May 26th. I had the honor of spending the day with the three gentlemen above - Richard Gough (seated), Anthony Pelliccio and Roscoe Turlington. None considered themselves to be heroes. THEY ALL ARE.

Find out more about Honor Flight at http://www.honorflightsenc.org/ If you have a friend or relative who served during World War II, you'll find a application to go on a flight. If you want to volunteer or make a donation, you'll find that information also. I'll tell you more about the trip next time, but I can assure you it was a wonderful day for each veteran and a memorable experience for every volunteer.

This Memorial Day, thank a veteran.

Make www.russmay.com your resource to search homes for sale in Landfall, the Historic District, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach . . . or any other Wilmington, NC neighborhood. Rely on me, Russ May, to make your home purchase a smooth and pleasant transaction. Your complete satisfaction is my goal. Call me now at (910) 619-1501 or 1-800-RUSS MAY.

The Tuna High Road

2009-10-01T14:03:00.006-04:00

Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand -- Homer Simpson

Last Friday evening I received an internet inquiry regarding one of my property listings. It was almost 7:00 p.m. and I had just walked in the door at home when I saw the e-mail. I sat down at my home computer, read the e-mail, researched the question and responded to the consumer. The time from his inquiry to my response was 29 minutes. The next afternoon (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.) I received a call about the same property. I determined that this was the same individual to whom I had responded the previous evening. The caller said that he would like to see the property . . . that afternoon. I asked if about an hour from then would be a good time and said that I would have to confirm with the owner as the home was occupied. I then asked two questions: I restated the price and asked if this home was within his intended price range; I also asked if he was currently represented by a real estate agent. As people sometimes do, he side-stepped the price question. However, the answer to the other question got my attention.

Yes, he said, he did have a real estate agent, but his agent does not work on weekends. This was a variation of another answer that I sometimes hear, "I did not want to bother my agent on the weekend." There is no twelve step program for smartass people like me, so it's sometimes hard to control my urges.

However, I politely explained to him that, since he had a representative, his interests as a potential buyer were best served by seeing the property with his agent, not with me, the seller's agent. (For a description of how North Carolina real estate agents work, click HERE). He continued to press me to show him the house and I continued to explain how I would be happy to cooperate with HIS AGENT, how easy it would be for HIS AGENT to make an appointment and that his interests would be best served by working with HIS AGENT. He was clearly annoyed and disappointed that I would not now show the house myself.

Later that evening, I received an e-mail from that gentleman in which he a) told me how disappointed he was that I did not want to show him this home, b) that he had found an expensive home that he was going to buy in a swanky subdivision and c) that he hoped real estate agents would someday understand that the general public was often available to view properties only in the evenings or on weekends.

So, at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday evening, I sat down at my computer to respond to him once again. I explained that when he sent his inquiry on Friday evening and I responded --- I was working. When he called at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and I took his call --- I was working. And, at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday evening, typing an e-mail response --- I was working. I further explained that my advice that he work with his agent was honest, sincere and sound -- and should not be confused with laziness on my part.

I said a few other things as well, but had the foresight to ask my wife to read my response before I hit the SEND button. She spotted a couple of well written but, apparently, unnecessary sentences (see smartass reference above) and admonished me to take the HIGH ROAD. What's wrong with the low road, I asked. Here is a guy who may or may not be serious, who may or may not be financially qualified and who says that he has a real estate agent, but HIS AGENT does not work on weekends so he wants me to do his agent's job. He's such a jerk that he feels the need to tell me that he has found and purchased a home in the most expensive neigborhood in town (so presumably he tricked some other well intentioned real estate agent into showing him a home that, if he did actually buy it, the agent would not be his representative and would not be compensated for his/her work). And, he wants to lump me in with his lazya**, non-weekend working agent. Needless to say, the contents of this whole paragraph were deleted before the actual message was sent.

Here is how I and my professional colleagues work. We will give you our time and expertise. We've worked weekends, nights and holidays (I wrote an offer on New Year's Day this year). We've missed meals, social engagements, time off and sleep to assist our clients. We will work as hard and as long as it takes. We are delighted to do so. In return, we expect your loyalty.

If you have an agent who does not return your calls, answer your questions or is unavailable to work with your schedule . . . FIRE YOUR AGENT! There are plenty of hard working, savvy service-oriented REALTORS who can assist you. I'm one of them. Give me a call.

Finally, just so you know, I have contacts with top flight agents throughout the country. Know someone who has a home to sell in New Jersey? Somone in Arizona who wants to buy a home in Forida? Call me. I can put your family and friends in touch with agents throughout the country who will provide the same high level of service that I provide for my clients. Let me know how I can help.

The low road. That was fun. Scoot on.

Inspired Tuna

2009-09-24T18:05:00.020-04:00

The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss, but it is too low and reach it. -- Michelangelo

This past weekend I had the honor and pleasure of watching several of my Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty colleagues (pictured above) participate in the Wilmington YMCA Triathlon. Participants swam 1.5 kilometers, then biked 20 kilometers and finished with a 5k run. All summer long, these athletes have been training. I photographed most of them along the course and was witness to their dedication. It was not a surprise to me though, as I see the same dedication in the way they approach their daily real estate business. These are people you want as your advocate because they have trained for the business of representing their clients and they are prepared for the task. It's my privilege to have them as my colleagues.

I'm not sure where their inspiration will lead me, but I know that I am a better person for having their friendship. I've thought about their amazing accomplishments all week.

I did not participate in the triathlon, but I do have the training and dedication to go the distance for you in your real estate transactions. Visit me at my website http://www.russmay.com/, friend me on Facebook www.facebook.com/russmay or contact me the old fashioned way -- by phone at (910) 619-1501.

Who inspires you? Who do you inspire? Aim high. Scoot on.

Tuna Surprise

2009-09-01T16:54:00.007-04:00

Bart Simpson: I am through with working. Working is for chumps.
Homer: Son, I'm proud of you. I was twice your age when I figured that out.

There's a company called Predicto http://www.predicto.com/ that's figured out that working is for chumps. They have a way to make money by taking it from working chumps . . . you and me. They can take your money from right in front of your nose and you may never realize it.

Here's how it worked with me. Apparently, my wife received a text message on her wireless phone from 654654. Although she did not ask for this message, she did not respond to this message and she probably ignored the message, because she RECEIVED this message, she was automatically subscribed to a service that bills $9.99 per month on my Verizon wireless account. Now, my wireless phone bill has 77 lines of charges, credits, discounts, surcharges, taxes, etc., so it's pretty easy to miss one line item. Who among us understands how our $129 wireless package winds up costing $165?

When I saw the $9.99 charge last month on my bill, I went to the Verizon store to inquire about it. I was told that my wife had SENT a text to some premium service -- like texting a vote for your favorite performer on a TV contest show. I was skeptical, but I did not have my wife or her phone with me, so I accepted the charge, but asked how I could prevent future charges. A very helpful Verizon rep checked her computer records, found a telephone number and talked to a Predicto rep who refused to cancel the service without talking directly to the account holder -- me. So, I took the phone, politely explained that I did not want to continue the service and that I wanted to cancel my account. The Predicto rep told me that by maintaining the account, I would be eligible for contest prizes. I told her again that I wanted to cancel the account. As a matter of fact, I told her more than a dozen times that I wanted to cancel the account, until my polite self was exhausted and replaced by a less kinder and gentler persona. By the end of my phone conversation, I noticed that the store rep had retreated to what she considered a safe distance from me. I think she was wondering where she left her pepper spray. However, the Predicto rep had finally agreed to cancel the account.

Upon checking my most recent wireless bill, there was the charge again. This time, I called Verizon's customer service. I had determined that my wife had NOT sent the text, so I figured that I was being slammed. The customer service rep told me that my wife had actually RECEIVED a text from 654654. While still on the phone with Verizon, I Googled "text 654654". The results were overwhelming and all negative.

The Verizon rep told me that, to cancel the service, I HAD TO SEND A TEXT TO 654654 with the word "STOP" and then have Verizon put a block on my account so that I cannot receive or send premium text messages. The rep offered to credit the most recent charge. However, he also told me that the charges had begun three month ago. I simply had not caught them. I'm still trying to get Verizon to credit ALL of these charges, but here's the best part of the story.

After the telephone conversation, I went to the local Verizon store to pay my bill. Thinking that I had discovered some new scam, I told a different store rep my story. She said, "Yes, I know. We see it all the time." So here's the deal: VERIZON AND ALL THE OTHER WIRELESS PROVIDERS KNOW THAT PREDICTO IS SLAMMING THEIR CUSTOMERS. Predicto's charges appear on your wireless bill tucked in with TXT/PIX-FLIX, Megabyte Usage and dozens of other line items.

For a sampling of what others have to say about Predicto, click HERE. And then, my friends, check your wireless phone bill.

What's this have to do with Wilmington NC real estate? Nada, but I hope it's helpful.

Scoot on. Don't be a chump.

School o' Tuna

2009-08-24T12:22:00.017-04:00

You can only be young once. But you can always be immature. - Dave Barry

School starts this week. That means school buses and that means that I'm always confused as to when to stop and when it's OK to pass.

A little Googling led me to the following site
http://www.nccrimecontrol.org/safebus/rules.html

to get the rules shown below.

In North Carolina, passing a stopped school bus while it is loading or unloading students carries a fine of up to $200, five driver's license points, and possibly 90 days in jail. A conviction usually means a 90% increase in a driver's insurance rates.

With respect to real estate, remember that there are only three more months left to take advantage of the $8,000 first time home buyer's credit. If you have questions about the credit or the Wilmington NC real estate market, call (910-619-1501) or e-mail.

Scoot . . . safely.

Aged Tuna

2009-07-19T10:45:00.003-04:00

Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64? - The Beatles, When I'm 64.

B-Day today. I stayed up 'til midnight last night; didn't want to turn a year older any sooner than I had to. Overnight, I forgot my password to access this blog. It's all downhill from here.

Last time, I wrote about needing undies to replace those I bought when Clinton was prez. Mom-in-law came through for B-Day; who knew Hello Kitty made briefs in my size?

I did make an effort (small) to buy my own. The local department store has senior night where everything is discounted for us mature folks. Everything, that is except Jockey brand undies (my boys are brand loyal). I approached the checkout counter with an armload, but since I couldn't get a geezer discount, put them back, on principle. So, the same store sends me a $10 coupon for my birthday. The catch is that I have to spend $50 to save $10. That's like me saying I'll take you out and buy you a dessert, but first you have to buy me dinner.

I thought I might get a deal online, so I went to the Jockey web site; had to scroll through two pages of crotches to find what I wanted. Those male models must not have had any place to put their keys and wallet during the photo shoot, 'cause there's a lot more going on in their briefs than in mine. I'll bet theirs aren't all bagged out in the back like mine either. Anyhow, slight savings + shipping = better off buying locally and put all this talk of unmentionables behind me.

Let's talk real estate. The local news(?)paper says June was terrible month for home sales. However, in the last three months, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty, put over 1000 properties under contract. That's one home sold every 3.7 hours! That's the results you get from a bunch of dedicated hard working real estate agents.

Want to know what's going on in the Wilmington real estate market? Confused about financing, short sales, foreclosures? Call, e-mail, tweet or come in to see me. If I can't answer your questions completely, I'll put you in touch with an expert who can.

Life is good. Have fun. Be grateful. Find someone in the military and thank him/her. Scoot on.

Tuna Briefs

2009-07-01T13:32:00.005-04:00

The first rule of underpants is: Do not talk about underpants. – www.topfive.com

I woke up this morning feeling in an especially grateful mood and I thought . . . I’ll blog about gratitude. I was preparing a mental list of all the things in my life for which I am grateful when I got into an argument with my wife about underpants, which, as the saying goes, got my panties in a bunch.

So, gratitude’s out. I’m going with underpants.

Now, I’m sure that there are people who’ve had an argument about underpants, as in your wife finds a pair (not hers) in your glove compartment. Not me. I’m just saying . . .

No, for me it was an answer to a simple question that got the ball (slight pun) rolling.

Wife: Your birthday is coming up soon. What would you like?
Me: Underpants.
Wife: No way. You have way too may pairs now and you never throw the old nasty ones away.
Me: Yeah, but . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The little dots indicate the space where I was trying to make my point, but my wife was the one actually doing the talking. The question in my mind was, how did I get myself in this situation? As a Wilmington real estate broker, I analyze information, market statistics, trends, etc. and advise clients so that they can achieve goals and make informed decisions. I'd like to think I’m a smart guy and a decent problem solver. You would have thought I could have (should have) avoided the underpants argument. After all, I’ve been here before. Our discussion ended, as it always has, with a curt directive to buy my own underpants. We have similar conversations about socks.

See, the crux of the matter is that I don’t like clothes shopping. I under-like shopping for underpants. So, every once in a while, I stock up like a crazed underpants survivalist. In a digital age, my underpants are analog. My stash is disintegrating. The clothes dryer has rendered most of the elastic bands the consistency of dead leaves. The fabric has the ripped look of designer jeans. Moths are appalled that I blame my briefs demise on them. It’s time to clean house.

Once, years ago in my youth, I mistakenly dried a load of laundry at a laundromat for an hour and a half. The results were tiny potato chip brittle underpants, sized to fit Barbie’s boyfriend, but he wouldn’t have been able to sit down.

So, faced with the choice of duct taping my briefs to my belly or going s-s-shopping, I guess shopping is slightly less painful than tearing off the duct tape at the end of the day.

Here's a thought for you first time home buyers. The government is offering an $8,000 tax credit as an incentive to purchase a home. You can buy a lot of underpants for eight grand.

Scoot on.

Tuna Speak

2009-06-23T11:39:00.005-04:00

Me fail English? That's unpossible. - Ralph Wiggum (The Simpsons)

I've gone on this mini-rant before, so please forgive me for repeating myself, but I continue to be perplexed that the general public, as well as many of my colleagues, cannot properly pronounce what we do for a living. We're REALTORS, two syllables; not REAL-A-TORS. Nobody calls a doctor a DOC-A-TOR or a plumber a PLUM-A-BER. What's the prob-a-lem here?

Our training director stopped using the phrase "sphere of influence" in her classes and, instead, uses the phrase "center of influence" to describe the group of people upon whom we have some influence just because they know us. Why the change? Too many people were saying "spear of influence." Things might go a little smoother for me sometimes if I DID have a "spear of influence."

Me: Are you ready to list your home with me?
Homeowner: I'll have to think about it.
Me: How about I poke you with my spear of influence. Say hello to my little friend.
Homeowner: Where do I sign?

In addition, I've noticed some language manglers advertise a house for "sell", while other are "saling" a house. Sell. Sale. It's not that confusing. How about "sailing" a house? Carl did it in the movie UP. Our print and e-mail communications make a statement about us. I think sometimes our grammatical/spelling zipper is down, but we don't seem to notice.

OK, now to some info you can use. As in all occupations, real estate agents and mortgage lenders have their own vernacular. Here are three terms that are used when describing a buyer's loan qualification.

Prequalification - full verbal loan application, credit check, "approve" received through Automated Underwriting.

Preapproval - All of the above PLUS receipt of income documentation (pay stubs & W2's or tax returns) and proof of assets needed for down payment. Review of any unusual circumstances with underwriter.

Loan Commitment - All of the above PLUS signatures on all applications and disclosures, appraisal received and approved, title insurance, rate locked, underwriter review and approval of all documentation.

If you have questions on loan programs, interest rates, closing costs, etc., please contact Grace Bass at Alpha Mortgage grace.bass@alphamortgage.com

And, as always, if you have questions about the Wilmington Real Estate market, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Stupid Tuna Tricks

2009-06-03T11:47:00.008-04:00

Homer Simpson: My ears are burning.
Lisa: I wasn't talking about you, Dad.
Homer: No, my ears are really burning. I wanted to see inside, so I lit a Q-tip.

Yesterday, I sat through a few hours of District Court. I was there as a witness to a hit and run traffic accident, but the court involved traffic violations, some breaking and entering, a little drug possession . . . Homer wasn't there, but some of his real life counterparts were.

Now, maybe I'm out of touch, not having any experience with going to court, but I'm pretty sure that you might want to strive for a better chance of making a good impression on the court than the guy who showed up wearing camo baggy shorts, flip-flops and an I "heart" Party Girls T-shirt; however, that pretty much summed up the dress code on the public side of the fence. Here are some of my favorite moments from my morning (with only a little embellishment).

Judge: Mr. Jones, you're here today because you were cited for driving while your license was revoked. And, you're late. Why were you late?
Jones: Well, there was a lot of traffic and I had to drive real slow.
Judge: You were driving?
Jones: Yeah. . . . . . Oh!

Now the funny part isn't that Jones got tripped up by admitting to driving to court on a revoked/suspended license. It was the four people after him, charged with the same offense, who answered the same way. Pay attention people!

Judge: Mr. Smith, you were not here when we called your name. You were supposed to be here at 9:00. Why were you late?
Smith: I wasn't late your honor. I was here at 5 after 9:00.
Judge: 5 after 9:00 is not 9:00. And, by the way, we did not call the roll until 9:30.
Smith: Huh?

Judge: Ma'am, are you Mary Brown?
Brown: (wearing blinking blue-tooth earpiece): No, that's my daughter.
Judge: Why isn't your daughter here in court?
Brown: Her grandmother is having a colonoscopy.
Judge: Your daughter's grandmother? Would that be your mother?
Brown: Uh-Huh.
Judge: Ms. Brown, let me explain how this works. When your daughter is supposed to be in court, she can't send in a substitute. It's court, not basketball. I'll be issuing a warrant for her arrest.

A man is brought in wearing a jail uniform. He has added to his impressive resume of drug possession, stolen goods sales and larceny with some new charges. The judge tells him that he is sentenced to 60 months in the Department of Correction and that he should seek substance abuse assistance in the slammer. He insists that he has changed his ways and cleaned up his act. In fact, he says, he is going to start a new job tomorrow. He's going to be late for work.

I know it's not right to make fun of people, but you can't make this stuff up. People make poor decisions, won't take responsibility for their actions and seem genuinely surprised when the judge doesn't believe their outrageous excuses. My only regret is that I did not know how to tweet from my phone. I'll learn and I'm going back for more. Next time, I'll take a sandwich.

OK, none of this has anything to do with Wilmington Real Estate, but if I say Wilmington Real Estate enough times and link it to my website, it'll help in the Google searches.

Use sunscreen. Scoot on.

Rainbow Tuna

2009-05-12T18:20:00.003-04:00

I want to share something with you: The three little sentences that will get you through life. Number 1: Cover for me. Number 2: Oh, good idea, Boss! Number 3: It was like that when I got here. -- Homer Simpson

Ever notice how some of your digital photographs look orange or, maybe have a green tint? The scene you photographed, as you saw it, looked fine, so why did the colors change. Well, there's a setting in your camera called "white balance". While our eyes can adjust for different types of lighting -- outdoors, incandescent light, candle light, etc., cameras need to know what type of light is present in the scene and adjust for it. Most cameras automatically adjust to outdoor light (sun light). When you shoot outdoors, white objects appear white and all the other objects appear as their correct colors.

Indoors, however, incandescent lighting adds an overall orange tint. It has something to do with light wave lengths and physics. My precise understanding of the physics involved is pretty much blah, blah, blah, blah orange. If you find the white balance setting on your camera, you can set it to indoors and the camera will magically make the colors right. (*Caution* Finding the white balance setting may involve reading the owner's manual). Same thing for flourescent lighting, found in most office buildings; things look a little green, like when you've eaten from the cardboard container that's been in the back of the refrigerator waaay too long.

Of course, most point and shoot cameras have an automatic white balance setting, but like all things automatic, those settings are easily fooled. So, let's review. You take the indoor photo, thinking the automatic white balance will tell the camera what all the colors in the scene are supposed to look like. If it works, no sweat. If not, and your girlfriend's mother isn't really green, consider changing the white balance in your camera's settings to flourescent and take the shot again. If she's still green, keep the camera; get a new girlfriend.

The birds are chirping, the flowers blooming and our Wilmington, NC real estate market is humming nicely along. Call or e-mail with any questions about buying in today's market, mortgage interest rates, whether you qualify for the $8,000 tax credit . . . or anything else. I'm always happy to help.

Scoot on!

Taking Your Tuna For Granted

2009-04-24T08:54:00.004-04:00

Lisa, Vampires are make-believe, like elves, gremlins and Eskimos. -- Homer Simpson

The current issue of Coastal Living magazine has a feature article titled Coastal Dream Towns. The article starts off by saying that they found the best places to live at the shore (I grew up in New Jersey, so I know the shore means the beach).

Coastal Living's pick for the Southeast? You guessed it -- Wilmington, which the article describes as a cultural gem. The magazine cites the following "allure factors" -- a symphony, theater groups, plenty of live-music clubs, and festivals, celebrating jazz, blues, and film. It says that the downtown Riverwalk is a model of adaptive reuse, with shops and restaurants bringing a faded commercial district back to life. I've been here since 1984 and lived in the Historic District for over 19 years; the "fade" has been gone for quite some time!

Here is another tidbit from the same article. It says that Wilmington will soon be home to the world's third-largest sound-stage. The EUE/Screen Gems facility, under construction, incorporates the largest water tank (for filming underwater scenes) outside of California.

So, the next time that you and the rest of the school of tuna are slowly swimming up Military Cutoff Road, remember, you're living in a cultural gem.

Wanna live at the beach? Sleep with the fishes? (no, wait, that's New Jersey talk). Looking for a great deal in the Wilmington real estate market? E-mail or call me. Our market has really come alive this Spring. Great inventory, great prices and great interest rates -- a real estate hat trick!

Scoot

2009-04-14T16:36:00.003-04:00

If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else. -- Yogi Berra

This coming weekend you could wind up in an REALTOR open house because it's the Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty Open House Spectacular. As of today (Tuesday), Sea Coast agents plan to host 132 open houses. For the locations and times, click HERE.

This coming Saturday afternoon (1-4) you'll find me at 409 Knollwood Drive in the Cross Creek neighborhood in Hampstead. Sunday (1-4), I'll be in town in Devon Park at 3729 Winston Boulevard. If you have questions about these or any other properties, please contact me.

For the most current and comprehensive source of Wilmington, NC properties for sale, check out SearchWilmingtoAreaHomes.com

Don't forget, if you are a first time home buyer or have not owned a home in the past three years, you are eligible for an $8,000 tax credit courtesy of your Uncle Sam. Even if you don't qualify for this credit because you owned another home, you can still take advantage of the fantastic mortgage interest rates.

For more information about Wilmington, including helpful links to area information go to RussMay.com

And finally, if you're a USAA member, you may be entitled to a cash bonus when you purchase your next home through me. Contact me for details at russ@russmay.com or (910) 619-1501.

That's A Lot Of Tuna

2009-04-06T13:25:00.004-04:00

There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity. -- General Douglas MacArthur

Right now, there's a great opportunity available for first time homebuyers. Essentially, if you have not owned a home in the past three years, you are eligible for an $8,000 tax credit if you purchase and close on a primary residence by December 1, 2009. This tax credit DOES NOT have to be repaid! You can find the details at GetYour8000.com

As of this writing, mortgage interest rates are below 5%. Home prices are the best (lowest) they have been in several years. And, the government wants to give you $8,000! That's opportunity. If you have not spoken with a mortgage lender to see what this means for you, let me recommend that you contact Grace Bass with Alpha Mortgage, the Wilmington area's premier mortgage lender. You can reach Grace at Grace.Bass@AlphaMortgage.com

There is currently a great selection of available homes for sale. You can search for all currently available homes on my website RussMay.com

Ho Hum Tuna

2009-03-29T20:06:00.003-04:00

No good deed goes unpunished. . . . Don't ask.

I bought a new video camera to begin making video blogs, but still am not comfortable speaking into the camera yet. So while I continue to practice, take a look at this informative article I found on MSN.com. It's good advice for every home seller.

The Wilmington real estate market is picking up. It's great to see buyers who understand that buying when prices and mortgage rates are low is a smart move.

Make it a great week. Scoot on.

Tuna Melt

2009-03-12T20:14:00.009-04:00

Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals . . . except the weasel. -- Homer Simpson

I've been weaseling out of writing a blog entry for no good reason. Well, actually for the reason that I could not think of something to write. This week, however, I had the privilege of listening to an excellent speaker, Rick DeLuca. In addition to the stuff that's probably only of interest to real estate agents, he offered some random gems that I want to share with you.

Have you ever been frustrated with customer service phone instructions that have you listening to menus and pressing every button on your phone? Then here's a website you need to bookmark -- Get2Human.com. Look up the company name, find the customer service telephone number and see instructions that will help you get to a live person. Whether or not that individual will be of any help is another story.

Know Your Stuff is a free download that will help you make a home inventory. In the event you suffer a fire or theft, you'll have a record of your stuff for the insurance claim. A word of caution -- make a back up copy and keep it off premises. If someone steals your stuff, including your computer, and the only copy of your inventory is on your computer, you're SOL.

A couple of things about e-mail: the #1 problem with e-mail correspondence is misspelling. Make sure that your spell check feature is turned on and as an added bonus, you might try reading what you wrote before you hit the send button. A friend sent me a joke this week that had to do with proof reading. The premise of the joke was that someone had dropped a pen in his printer and it was stuck in the gears. While the person awaited the repairman, he wanted to warn his co-workers against trying to use the printer by posting a handwritten sign that said "do not use printer, penis stuck." The #2 thing to know about e-mail correspondence is that TYPING IN ALL CAPS MEANS THAT YOU'RE SHOUTING. Don't do it!

Here's a free photo sharing download called Photo Leap. I have not tried this yet, but it's supposed to allow you to share a lot of photos without resizing the photos or adding as attachments. And, finally, here's a free download that will allow you to organize the photos that you have in a million different places on your computer -- Picasa.

Just so you don't forget, I am a professional real estate expert with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty, the #1 real estate company in southeastern North Carolina for nine years running. Need advice or have a question about the market? Maybe you're looking for a place to search properties for sale. Send me an e-mail or visit my website. I'll be happy to help.

Tough Tuna

2009-02-22T10:45:00.006-05:00

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty -- Winston Churchill

There are buying and selling opportunities in the Wilmington, NC real estate market. Now. Today. Don't let fear and ignorance (equal opportunity emotions for both buyers and sellers) keep you from benefiting from these opportunities. Easy answers? Shortcuts? There are none. Facts and figures; there are plenty. A knowledgeable and trusted real estate professional can explain these facts. Listen, understand and you will benefit. Don't be the pessimist. Worse, don't be misinformed or under informed.

Recently, BuilderOnline.com listed the Healthiest Housing Markets for 2009. Wilmington, NC made the list. Read the full story HERE.

If you contact me, I may not always tell you what you want to hear, but I'll always tell you the truth and I'll use my 23+ years of experience, my market knowledge and the latest market statistics to show you what you can expect from today's real estate market and how you can take advantage of today's opportunities.

One more quote before I go: Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity -- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Tuna Time

2009-02-15T18:22:00.010-05:00

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true. - Homer Simpson

As a Wilmington, NC real estate agent, I shoot a lot of photos of the properties I market. Since I do not use flash in my indoor photos, I try to make the most of natural light from windows and doors, and the lighting in the room. This tip will work whether you're just shooting to show the room or if you have a subject (friend or pet) in the room.

In most cases, it's best to have the light source (window or lights) behind you instead of shooting into the light. The first photo here illustrates the problem. With the camera facing the window, the light meter took the reading off the brightest part of the scene (the window). Consequently, the room itself was too dark. To solve that problem in the second shot, I moved the camera slightly to the left and pointed it just to the right of the fireplace. I pressed the shutter button down halfway to set the focus and exposure and, while keeping pressure on the shutter button, moved the camera back to the right to re-compose the scene. Then I pressed the button the rest of the way to take the photo. The result is that the room looks more natural. The down side is that the window appears bright white. However, unless you're going to use a strong flash to balance indoor and outdoor lighting (and most point and shoot cameras don't offer this option) your going to wind up with a properly exposed window with a dark interior or a decent looking interior with the equivalent of a small nuclear blast outside.

So, as a general rule indoors or outside, try to keep the light source behind you and illuminating your subject(s). If that is not possible, use this tip. If your subject is a friend and the light is behind him/her, try aiming the camera at something else about the same distance as your subject. Press the shutter halfway, then (with pressure still on the shutter) move the camera back to your subject and take the shot. As I've said before, with digital cameras, you can check your results right away and take additional shots until you get the one you like.

For additional examples of indoor shots, click on any one of the three photos on the right side of this blog. Questions? Contact me. Scoot into the light.

Scoot Tuna Factoids

2009-02-03T18:27:00.005-05:00

Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil. - Jerry Garcia

I've been tagged on Facebook, by my wife no less, to provide 25 Things About Me. So, being a two birds with one stone kind of guy, I thought I would post them here and make my Facebook friends read my post. The part I don't cherish is tagging 25 other people to do the same. That has all the appeal of a chain letter. Here's my 25.

I've had five dogs in my life -- Snooper, Dusky (aka Sam), Bulgie, Callie and Maggie
I believe that the toilet paper should roll forward off the top and not come from behind (no pun intended).
Back in the day, there was a military draft. Teaching was an exempt status. Right after college, I taught 6th grade in an attempt to avoid the draft. It didn't work.
In Viet Nam, I was a Vietnamese translator. I was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service.
I died once.
I knew my wife for less than three months before we were married.
I'm a procrastinator. More about that later.
I live my life with an attitude of gratitude.
My favorite meal is turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. I used to order that at MOI.
I studied photography at Maryland Institute of Art.
I once captured a bat armed with a yard stick and wearing nothing more than a laundry basket on my head.
I can wiggle my ears.
I got my first pair of cowboy boots this past Christmas.
We were married in the county court house. In attendance were my wife's parents and younger sister. When the clerk pronounced us married, Nancy's mother said to her, "Now you're Mrs. DAY."
For a while, my hair was shoulder length.
I'd like to be a good photographer.
The movie Rudy chokes me up . . . every time.
My parents offered to buy cigarettes for my brother and me so we would not have to sneak them. Consequently, neither of us ever smoked.
It bothers me that some people in my profession cannot pronounce what they do. We're REALTORS (two syllables, real-tors, not real-a-tors). Doctors know they're not doc-a-tors; plumbers know they're not plum-a-bers. What's the problem?
I never had a chocolate chip cookie I didn't like.
Sometimes when I'm distracted, I put on two wristwatches . . . on the same arm.
Briefs, not boxers.
In high school, I went out for the football team. I was terrible, but did not want to quit. One day at practice, Buddy Tallman ran over me and I sprained my ankle really badly. I was on crutches, went to the games with the team and got lots of sympathy in school. The coach even commented on my commitment. I ate it up. The next year, I went out for band.
In college, I played drums in a band called The Saturday Knights. If I took a date to a job, she had to sit in the back seat of my Volkswagen because the bass drum only fit in the front passenger seat.
My middle name is Morris.

Want to know about the Wilmington NC real estate market? Ask me. Next time, photo tips. I promise.

Tuna Tidbits

2009-01-27T17:41:00.002-05:00

You miss 100% of the shots you never take -- Wayne Gretzky

I missed my normal self-imposed deadline for writing a post. It seems that I actually had a social life this past weekend, not my normal lame stay-at-home excitement. Not to brag, but I actually stayed awake until 11:00 . . . OK, 10:45. Anyhow, this week I decided to abandon my photo tips in favor of real estate news and I've gone the lazy route by including this video. Although this is not exactly about Wilmington, NC real estate, what I like about this video clip is that a) it's positive information and b) it's from a neutral source, MSNBC. Enjoy.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

BRAG ALERT!! This past Sunday's Star News featured a story about my wife, Nancy Noel May. The reporter, Si Cantwell, also shot this video. This is a car that knows how to scoot.

Tuna Group Hug

2009-01-18T15:53:00.009-05:00

Operator! Give me the number for 9-1-1! -- Homer Simpson

Speaking of things obvious, this is as good a time as any to talk about editing your photos. The point of taking lots of photos is to increase your chances of actually taking an interesting shot. This process allows you to pick out the best and, here's the important part, DELETE THE REST. If you took 29 photos of you and your friends taking photos of each other at a party, chances are you don't need to post all of them to your Facebook page to show everyone how much fun you had and/or how cool you are. Try to pick out a few that tell a story or are, in your opinion, the funniest. Back in the day, people had flip out plastic photo sleeves. They would sneak up on you and drop one end of the sleeve and you were trapped having to look at four feet of photos. Today, we have digital. Take more, bore more. Photographs are like opinions -- you have plenty of them. You just don't need to go sharing every one of them with the world. Remember, with digital photography, you get instant feedback. So, take lots of photos, edit down and share your best. That's what the pros do.

Speaking, too, of Facebook, I now have a Facebook page. See the little Facebook badge thingy. I'm trying to figure out how to be a good Facebook citizen. I would appreciate your opinion. I am a Wilmington NC real estate agent and share that matter of factly and proudly, in the same manner as when people ask, in real life, what it is I do for a living. However, I am seeing more and more of my colleagues using Facebook as a billboard to advertise themselves, their services and their current listing inventory. Although I have been found by potential clients and long lost personal acquaintances, I look at FB as an opportunity to interact socially vs. advertise. As a practicing geezer, I'm afraid I'm either missing the point . . . or getting it. I'm just not sure which. If you are, let me know.

And so I close by saying opinions are like opinions. I got 'em, but . . . who cares? Scoot gently.

Fresh Tuna

2009-01-11T19:18:00.023-05:00

When I die, I want to go peacefully, in my sleep, like my grandfather . . . not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. -- Unknown

Today, I want to talk about distractions. For example, say you're at work and you're supposed to be, well, working. But, instead, you're distracted, as in reading this blog. You need to be aware of distractions in your photographs as well.

Below are two shots of my wife, Nancy, in her art smart car (named Bebe). She wanted some photos to include on her website and on her blog. So, in following my own advice, I took a bunch of shots from various angles and distances. In the first shot, there's stuff going on in the background that distracts from the image I want. There are boats around the car and part of one that appears through the window. In the second shot, I moved in closer and got down lower, eliminating the distractions from the image. These shots were made late in the day so I added some fill flash to the second shot, but the point (less I become distracted) is that Nancy and the car are the main focus of the shot. You can tell that it's getting dark and that the photo was taken near water, but I don't think that the soft background competes with the subjects.

Click on the photos to enlarge them. Don't be afraid to move in close and change the angle from which you take the shot.

As a Wilmington NC real estate agent, I take a lot of photographs of the properties I market. I try to be aware of any situations that will detract from the main focus of the photograph. For example, I'm sure you've seen interior photos of homes with the TV on. So you wind up looking at the TV instead of focusing on the room. Another typical interior distraction is shooting directly into a mirror or other reflective surface, especially with the flash.

Sooo, the point is to make the effort to try to include only those elements that are important to the photograph. Sometimes, that means moving in close, maybe to one side, maybe high, maybe low. Other times, you may want to move back so you can include other elements that add to the story you're trying to tell. Just try to take control. The more thought you put into the process, the better your photographs.

Eat more tuna.

5, 4, 3, 2-na, 1. Happy New Year

2009-01-01T18:27:00.003-05:00

The miracle is this - the more we share, the more we have -- Leonard Nimoy

It's 2009. I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. I'm excited about this year. As a Wilmington real estate agent, people ask me about the local real estate market, usually with the same downward tone in their voice that they use when inquiring about a sick elderly relative -- "How's your aunt Lucy?" The expectation is that Lucy (my real estate career) is not long for this world. So there's a certain disbelief when I say my business is doing well, thank you. My closed sales for 2008 slightly exceeded my production for 2007. Then, there's the look of skeptism. Poor man, is he trying to put a brave face on a dire situation?

Well, no. The real estate biz is tough, but, hey, I'm a tough guy. It's hard work and I work hard. It requires brains, creativity and fortitude . . . check, check and check, I've got 'em. I've been doing this for over 23 years, so I am used to seeing ups and downs.

Home values are down and everyone is pummeled daily with bad news -- newspaper, bad news; TV -- bad news; internet -- bad news. But, here's the deal. Real estate is local. The Detroit real estate market sucks. The same goes for a number of areas throughout the nation. Wilmington real estate is not nearly that grim. As a matter of fact, if you're a buyer, it's pretty good. There is plenty of inventory from which to choose and interest rates are hovering around 5%. If you're a seller and you've had your home for four or five years or longer, it's worth more than you paid. You can't say that about your Hummer. You've had shelter, you've had tax deductions and your home is worth more than you paid. What's the problem? If you purchased or re-financed in 2005, that's another story.

As the real estate market has changed over the years, I've adapted. The changes over the last couple of years have been more severe, but again, I've adapted. In doing so, I've been able to help my seller clients achieve what sellers have always wanted -- selling their homes at the highest price, in the shortest amount of time, and with the least amount of hassle. And, I continue to help my buyer clients find their best deals. I represent my clients well.

I'm not a miracle worker. I'll tell you what you need to know although it's not necessarily what you want to hear, but in the words of Larry, the cable guy, we'll get 'er done.

OK, so here's the first photo tip of the new year. Make sure you remove the lens cap.

Scoot on.

Christmas Tuna

2008-12-23T10:26:00.008-05:00

Kids, you tried your best and failed miserably. The lesson . . . never try. -- Homer Simpson

Twas the night before the night before Christmas. Except for vacations, most of my photography for the past too many years has been devoted to the photos I've taken of my Wilmington NC real estate listings.

Even though I should know better, I have often missed the photo opportunity because I lacked one essential tool -- fresh batteries. Digital cameras can burn through batteries pretty quickly, especially when the LCD is in constant use. Many cameras use AA batteries, but some have a battery that is proprietary to a particular camera. With AA's, it's cheap and easy to buy re-chargeable batteries. And, what's nice about AA's is that, if the re-chargeables conk out, you can buy AA's just about anywhere. You won't be so lucky with a camera specific battery, so make sure that you keep the battery charged. With my real estate shots, dead batteries are just an incovenience, but if you're trying to capture a special one-of-a-kind event and the batteries die, you're SOL.

While we're talking about the camera itself, make sure that you keep the lens clean. Fingerprints on the lens will ruin your images. Photo stores sell special cloths for cleaning the lens, but I find that the soft cloth I use to clean my glasses works well on the lens and the LCD screen. Your shirt tail is not the ideal lens cleaning instrument. Try to blow off as much dust first so that you are not grinding grit into and scratching the lens.

Remember, the absolute best thing about digital photography is that you can keep on taking photos. No film to buy or change. No film processing. Don't be stingy. Take lots of photos, save what you like and discard the rest. Homer Simpson notwithstanding, try to take some great photos this Christmas season. You'll make great memories in the process.

Merry Christmas. Scoot Tuna.

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Tuna

2008-12-13T20:12:00.025-05:00

Success comes in cans, failure in can'ts - Unknown

This afternoon, I went to photograph a new river front lot listing for my website, but got started too late to take decent photos of the lot itself. The .94 acre lot is on the Cape Fear River and includes a boatslip and dock -- a long dock. I walked to the end of the dock as the sun was setting and spent my time taking photos of the water, clouds and sunset. I'm realizing that one of the beauties of a blog is writing as though someone cares, when actually I'm a cult of one. Anyhow, here is one of today's shots.

The tide was low and the water flat. The reflections were wonderful. I took a lot of shots and encourage you to do the same, no matter what the subject. With sunset shots, depending on where you point the camera to take the light reading, you will wind up with different results. Those differing results are not necessarily right or wrong; it just depends on what you are looking for and what you like. You'll find that the quality of the light changes rapidly at sunset and each minute has a particular beauty all its own. I aimed at the darker clouds just above the horizon, pressed the shutter down halfway, then made the exposure. I like this shot; as good a reason as any to put it here. Taking the light meter reading at a different area of the same scene produced slightly different results, but this is my favorite.

I forgot to follow my own advice on keeping the camera level and made several shots with the horizon at an angle. Of course, I can make corrections in the post production software, but if you/I do it right in the camera, you/I won't have the work to do later. For this shot, I added a little contrast after the fact, but this is essentially the scene I saw.

Remember, press the shutter down halfway to set the focus and light meter reading. With your finger still on the shutter, compose your shot, and press the shutter the rest of the way in a smooth, not jerky, motion. Try variations. Take plenty of shots.

As always, e-mail with any questions. I'll do my best to answer. And don't forget, keep an eye out for Bebe, the Art Smart Car. If you see her around town, take a photo and send it to me. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but I'll think of something.

I'm Dreaming of a White Tuna

2008-12-06T18:44:00.007-05:00

You can observe a lot just by watching -- Yogi Berra

With digital cameras, it's so easy to point and shoot without giving too much thought to exactly what is in the picture frame. After all, you can always crop the photo to exclude any unwanted objects (or relatives). A better way is to try to pay attention to the scene composition as you're taking the picture. That way, you don't have to spend time "fixing" the photo in a photo editing software and you don't have to make excuses for an almost great picture. As you are composing your shot, take a moment to look around in the viewfinder (or LCD screen) to make sure that you can see to the edges. If there are unwanted objects, and time permits, move closer, zoom in or change your position to get a better shot.

Also, pay attention to where the light is coming from. For the most part, try not to shoot facing the sun or a bright window. When you do, you will typically find that your subject looks very dark. If you are trying for a special effect or if you are using a "fill" flash, it's a different story, but in general, you want the sun or bright light source behind you.

If you do want to edit your photos, I found a free online editor at DrPic.com. I have not played with it yet, but it looks like you can resize photos, improve contrast and color, and add some nice effects. If you try it, let me know what you think and I'll pass along your comments.

Have you seen the Art Smart Car? My wife, Nancy Noel May, purchased a new Smart Car, which she named Bebe. Nancy's a painter and manager of Spectrum Art and Jewelry. Bebe is wrapped with an image of one of Nancy's paintings. You can follow the adventures of Bebe on her blog.

If you see Bebe out and about, take her photo and send it to me. I'll post it the next time.

On The Road To Christmas

2008-12-01T17:57:00.005-05:00

You don't take a photograph. You make it. - Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams, for those who don't know, made visionary photos of western landcapes that were inspired by a boyhood trip to Yosemite. His black and white photos are some of the most spectacular you will ever see.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Now we're on the slippery slope to Christmas and opportunities to take photos of friends, family, pets, etc. So here is a simple but important tip. Hold the camera steady. Many pictures are ruined because the image is blurry. Outside, in bright light, the shutter snaps open and shut very quickly, so you don't normally notice camera movement. But, when you're shooting inside or on a cloudy day, the shutter speed is slower and movement is noticeable. Try bracing yourself against a wall or tree or see if you can rest the camera on a table or fence post -- anything to make it more steady. You can also purchase a small tripod or gorillapod that will allow you to strap the camera to a variety of surfaces. With a device like this, you can set your camera's time delay, push the shutter button and get in the picture with your friends. Providing a steady camera is very important to creating sharp photos.

My real estate tip today is this: if you have been considering a real estate purchase, now is the time to check with your mortgage lender regarding interest rates. One of my clients locked in today at 5.125%. If it's been a while since you last checked rates, you'll be surprised. And take a look at this very cool house that I just put on the market. It's located in the historic Carolina Heights area, but was built in 2007 as the builder's personal residence, so you know it has all the bells and whistles.

OK, so concentrate on holding your camera steady and remember the trick about pushing the shutter button down halfway to set the exposure and focus. Press the shutter smoothly the rest of the way and you'll wind up with sharp photos.

Ready. Aim. Shoot.

More Tuna

2008-11-25T16:56:00.011-05:00

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film. -- Stephen Wright

It's Thanksgiving. I look forward to seeing family that I have not seen in a year and catching up. I hope you too will be with family and friends. Live your life with an attitude of gratitude. Sorry it rhymes, but that's my mantra.

I promised some photography tips, so here's the first one. Find your camera's instruction manual and read it. Ha ha. Just kidding.

Did you ever notice that what you thought was going to be in your picture turned out to be gone or blurred -- your subject had moved? Well here's the issue. When you mash the button to take the photo, the camera has to perform a couple of different functions before it actually takes the picture. It has to take a light meter reading to make sure it makes the proper exposure and it has to focus. This takes a fraction of a second, but long enough that an active subject can move around within or move outside the picture frame. So, here's what to do. Most digital cameras focus and set the exposure when you press the button down half way. So, say you're going to take a picture of some friends. As you look through the viewfinder or on the little screen, press the button halfway. The camera will focus on the subject and take the meter reading. Keep your finger pressed on the button in this position. Tell your friends to say "real estate professional". When they smile, you press the shutter the rest of the way and you wind up with the photo you hoped for.

This technique works very well when you have a moving subject. Say you're watching a group of runners. Aim the camera at a spot where you know the runners will pass. Press the shutter down half way. The camera focuses on the correct distance and sets the proper exposure. Keep your finger pressed on the button. When the runners enter the frame, push the button down the rest of way and your subjects are in focus and properly exposed.

Sometimes, the difference between a good photo and a missed opportunity is as simple as performing this little trick. If you have a photography question, let me know. I'll do my best to answer or send you in the right direction.

My best wishes to you and your family for a Happy Thanksgiving.

Scoot Tuna

2008-11-22T13:27:00.001-05:00

Enough about you, let's talk about me!

I'm a real estate broker in Wilmington, NC and have enjoyed my work for over 23 years, but I am also very interested in photography. Years ago, I studied photography at Maryland Institute of Art in Baltimore, then life got in the way and my photography became a random activity and vacation recording kind of thing. Recently, however, I decided that I would make the time and effort to pursue my interest. Over the years, I have moved from film to digital and now am working with a Canon 40D. I now look like a photographer.

My plan here is to talk a little bit about how, even with point and shoot cameras, you can improve your photos. Not major stuff, but little tips that are easy to learn and incorporate. As I progress, I might add some information about the local real estate market -- worthwhile stuff, not eyes glazing over stuff.

If what you know about the Wilmington area real estate market is what you read/hear in the media, you're not well informed. If you have real estate questions, of course I'll be happy to help. Send me an e-mail and ask away.

I want to thank my wife, Nancy Noel May, for re-igniting my interest in blogging. She just purchased a Smart Car, had it wrapped with one of her paintings (she's an artist) created a cool website, ArtSmartCar.com and started her own blog chronicling the adventures of her Smart Car, named Bebe. Not wanting to be outdone, here I am.

I've got some good ideas to improve your photos. Stay tuned.