Google's Jon Diorio Talk about Website Optimizer

I, a Modesto real estate agent from Central Valley, like to make the trip to Silicon Valley and find out more about SEO, website optimization and marketing, and on occasion, look at some Silicon Valley properties. Here is my notes on the talk, Website Optimization (Google's Website Optimizer), given by Google's product manager, Jon Diorio:

• Statistics: landing page (0-20 s. 100% of pixels, demonstrated commitment), closing pages (2-3 mins. 100% pixel, significant commitment)
  
• Page elements: benefit statements vs. product features, call to action buttons vs. links, graphics vs. no graphics
  
• Different combo pages
• Identify impactful pages sections / elements
• Develop simple hypotheses for each element
• Test a few variations (2-4)
• Repeat as necessary
• Multivariates and AB tests : different html versions or Javascript if small portion of screen changes
• html, php, jsp uses for implementation
  
• How Picasa's change in page design increased conversion rate significantly
• Website Optimizer: setup screen (3 steps, change variations); Outcome page

It would have been nice to have some time to squeeze in a demo of Website Optimizer. Overall, it was nice experience and I learned something new and got to meet some people from the Business Marketing Association of Northern California.

Modesto Home and Garden - Spring Flowers

This time of the year, the lavender in my backyard is dreamily beautiful. I have a variety of lavenders: Spanish, English, and French. In a month's time, they will all fade away. Regardless, the special Spring moment will always be in my heart. I will be missing - that - last - word...

California Association of Realtors Opposes Point-of-Sale Mandate AB2678

The Point-of-Sale Mandate excerpt (concern related to energy efficiency audit / investments for homes at purchasing time):

"C.A.R. is OPPOSING AB 2678 (Núñez) which among other things, requires that ALL homes and commercial property in California have an energy audit at point-of-sale and that mandatory energy efficiency investments be made. While C.A.R. appreciates the goal of AB 2678 C.A.R. strongly opposes the point-of-sale requirements in AB 2678 because they fail to achieve the bill’s objectives and, such mandates will further weaken the housing market. If enacted, AB 2678 could add thousands of dollars to the cost of purchasing a home, including up to $400 just to have a home audited."

I received a postcard as well as an email alert on the subject matter and here is the link to get more information. Please feel free to use the Poll in this blog to cast your vote.

BMA April 23, 2008 Meeting in Santa Clara

Website Optimization - Going Beyond the Click - Google's Product Manager Jon Diorio.

More information.

Real Estate Tax Deduction for Different Types of Real Estate Properties - Modesto Real Estate Agent Notes

Real Estate Tax Deduction for Different Types of Real Estate Properties:

Personal Use Property : Mortgage interest and property tax are deductible.
To check if mortgage interest is fully deductible, follow this Internal Revenue Services link.

Second Home / Vacation Home : Mortgage interest and property tax are deductible.
If a vacation home is financed, the interest expenses are deductible, if itemized deductions are filed.

Home owners cannot deduct any other expenses associated with operating and maintaining the properties for personal use / second home / vacation home.

Rental Investment Property : Mortgage interest, property tax are deductible, expenses attributed to the rental period are deductible, including property insurance (Insurance is not deductible for primary and second homes).

For investment properties, depreciation may be considered by some as the best real estate tax deduction of all. The method used for real estate is straight-line depreciation of the building. Depreciation can only be applied to the building and not land since land does not wear out over time.

For residential property, the depreciation period is 27.5 years.
For commercial property, the depreciation period is 39 years.
To see an example of how depreciation is calculated, visit About.com.

A property is considered a rental if it is rented for more than 14 days of the year. However, if a house is rented for less than 15 days each year, the rental income does not have to be reported.

For all three types of properties, mortgage insurance premium may be qualified as deductible mortgage interest. To find out more about mortgage insurance deduction, see IRS publication.

For more real estate information, definition of terms, visit Real Estate Encyclopedia, the Real Estate Wiki.

The California Real Estate Proposition 13 (1978) set the property tax to 1% of the full cash value of the property, plus any local bond assessments.


Disclaimer: the above information is not to be used as real estate investment advice or tax advice. Please consult your investment advisor or accountant if there is any discrepancy. It is my notes to clarify some of the taxes deduction rules - my notes on real estate tax deduction for a Modesto real estate agent.

12 Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Free Time

Are you happier at your job, or during your free time? Unless you’ve followed the research of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi you would probably be surprised at the actual answer. He conducted studies which recorded peoples current levels of happiness at random points both during work and off-hours.

read more | digg story

Modesto Bee Article on Modesto and Neighboring Cities' Schools - Distinguished Schools

Modesto Bee 4/12/2008 news article on:

• Ten local schools doing very well with limited funds - chosen as 2008 Distinguished Schools including schools in Modesto, Ceres, Hughson, Oakdale, Atwater, Sonora.

Click this Modesto Bee link to find out more.

The follwing are a list of school districts and the links to get more information for each of the ten schools:

Stanislaus County:
Modesto City School District : Rose Avenue, Martone
Empire Union School District : Capistrano, Sipherd
Ceres Whitmore Charter School of Technology
Hughson Unified School District : Fox Road Elementary School
Oakdale Joint Unified School District : Sierra View Elementary
Sylvan Union School District : Sherwood Elementary

Merced County:
Atwater Elementary School District : Elmer Wood Elementary

Tuolumne County:
Sonora School District : Sullivan Creek Elementary

To find out the schools' Academic Performance Index (API), please visit the California Department of Education website.

This is also a good website, Education Bug, which has a national directory of schools including public, private, school districts, colleges, and libraries.

Pain Management Doctor in Modesto California Jackie Chan MD Website

Pain Management doctor in Modesto California, Jackie Chan MD, has a new website that I am working on. Please check it out at Pain Management Modesto.

Real Estate Sale Statistics in Bar Graph Format - Modesto California

Real Estate Sales statistics for Modesto California now includes updated numbers for March 08. It contains:

• Number of Modesto homes sold for single family homes in bar chart format and,
• Modesto real estate average home sale prices and median home sale prices in bar chart format.
  

Please follow this real estate sales link. It will be updated monthly.

I also plan on including neighborhood cities in Stanislaus County such as Salida real estate sales statistics, Oakdale real estate sales statistics, etc.

10 Innovative Green Homes

Homeowners are taking sustainability - and their homes - to the next level. These ten innovative designs move the owner off the grid, into the trees, and toward a more environmentally-sound future.

read more | digg story

New Website URL

I have moved my website to http://www.modesto-realtor.com on a new server.
The old website http://ilaichan.home.comcast.net will not be active. I've added a robot.txt to not have the site crawled. I also disabled the website from my Comcast account.

Vein Clinic Modesto Website and SEO Modesto Strategy

I have a contact, Calvin Lee MD, in Modesto that likes writing webpages when he's not performing vein procedures. Check out his website: Vein Clinic Modesto.

Many of the websites he wrote SEO well, particularly Vein Clinic Modesto. We share SEO tips and techniques.

Short Sales Statistics and Foreclosure Prevention Workshops

As of 4/4/08, the short sale statistics in Modesto California is:

Active short sale single family homes : 714 on the market

Avg. size: 1574 sq. ft. Avg listing price: $225K Avg Days on Market: 89
Median size: 1428 sq. ft. Median listing price: $200K Median days on market: 72

I've looked at a few short sale properties in the 95356 zip code in Modesto California. One home that is 3181 sq. ft. priced at $102.14 per square feet was pending after 6 days on the market. Another property that is 1987 square feet priced at $140.87 per square feet was pending after 4 days on the market. Both properties were built in 2001.

Price right to have a quick sale to avoid foreclosure.

According to the Modesto Bee news article today (4/4/08). There will be more free events scheduled to help at-risk homeowners.

• Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani has scheduled several workshops where lenders were invited.
• California state agencies coordinated some foreclosure prevention workshops. Free credit counseling is available.
• No Homeowners Left Behind-Stanislaus is planning monthly workshops in Modesto to provide free counseling. Lenders have been invited.

Please click on the Modesto Bee news article link above to get more details on the time and locations of the workshops.

Informative Stop Foreclosure Website by State of California

The State of California website Consumer Home Mortgage Information offers:

• A guide to mortgage resources in California
• List of upcoming events hosted by Governor Schwarzenegger's task force on non-traditional mortgages
• Mortgage help
• 90 days of hope (fact sheets, flyers, media announcements)
• Tips for avoiding foreclosure

Sellers who want to sell their home have an option to do a MLS-only listing (a For Sale By Owner flat fee MLS service).