A weak economy, dismal job market, foreclosures, declining home values and tight credit conditions are among the factors weighing the national housing market down, and no community has been harder hit than Las Vegas, Nevada. However, during this bleak time in homebuilding history there is a ray of sun shining in Las Vegas. Boutique homebuilder Blue Heron is bucking the national trend by exceeding expectations of home sales in its luxury community, Marquis Las Vegas.

“Eleven of the fourteen custom estates have sold since we launched the community less than one year ago,” said Blue Heron Principal, Tyler Jones. He attributes the high number of sales to a variety of factors, including an excellent location, smart home technology, a unique custom design program and perhaps most importantly, energy efficient homes built with the latest construction methods and green building technologies. At the center of the Marquis community is the 2009 New American Home. The show home was constructed for last year’s International Builders Show and was conceived as a “real world laboratory” demonstrating the latest technology in the home building industry to builders from all over the world. Using the most advanced methods, products and materials to construct the home gave Blue Heron a strategic advantage over its Las Vegas competitors as it launched the Marquis community in January of 2009.

When we explain to people that we can build them a home with a power meter that will run backwards and contribute power back to the grid, you can see their eyes light up.” Said Jones. “This is powerful technology. In the future, all homes will be built with this type of careful consideration to energy efficiency.” Many of the green building methods implemented at Marquis are not available from any other home builder and have allowed Blue Heron to distinguish itself as an industry leader in sustainable design. Marquis offers residents ‘eco-friendly’ features such as solar panels, insulated concrete walls, tankless hot water systems and ultra efficient LED light fixtures, to name a few. The result is the ability to own a “Net Zero” home that creates more electricity than it consumes.

Seeking to offer homes that communicate as well as they insulate, Blue Heron partnered with Microsoft to create a home automation experience that is second to none. The homes are programmed to seamlessly interact with residents and can be controlled through the touch of a button or with a cellular phone. High Definition video is streamed to indoor and outdoor flat screen televisions while security cameras, digital media, lighting systems, and music are controlled through simple touch screen menus. Smart home technology is also linked to the solar panels so that residents can monitor their renewable energy production and see how much carbon they are offsetting in real time.

But according to Jones, building a better home and creating a phenomenal value for buyers isn’t enough to be successful as a homebuilder in 2009. Builders in Las Vegas and across the country have felt the credit crunch as they have tried to secure construction loans while banks tighten up lending requirements and restrict access to capital. In Las Vegas, dozens of homebuilders have filed for bankruptcy this year as their ability to finance new construction and begin viable new communities has evaporated. Blue Heron has dealt with this by diversifying its financing options and utilizing local banks that have supported the company. These few choice banks realize that new home construction is still a good investment when executed properly.

Also contributing to the amazing sales pace at the Marquis community is the focus on outstanding architectural design and something that Blue Heron describes as an “integrated design approach.” Jones believes that their sophisticated clients appreciate the thoughtful way that the modern interiors of their homes are integrated seamlessly with the exterior living spaces and the desert contemporary elevations of the homes. This attention to detail and focus on the aesthetic feel of the homes provides an additional value that is not as tangible as the cutting edge technology, but equally important to prospective new homebuyers. Residents at Marquis understand that a well designed home will have a positive impact on their lifestyle and generate a higher resale value in the future as well.

The homes at Marquis Las Vegas are custom designed for each homeowner. Floor plans range from 4,500 to 12,000 square feet, are situated on half-acre lots and priced from $1.2 to $5 Million.

Paul Simon wrote a song called “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” which never really got around to actually listing fifty ways. I guess it’s the thought that counts. But one of a homeowner association’s challenges is helping neighbors “make nice.” It seems that neighbors have lost the art of making friends and, instead, want the board to intervene in conflicts between the strangers that live next to each other.

What exactly is a “good” neighbor? To be one, you don’t need to be friends or hang out together. A good neighbor attitude allows you to live as privately or as sociably as you wish. Being a good neighbor is an attitude. Here’s how to cultivate and nurture it:

Meet Them. While marching up to their door with hand extended is great, the chance encounter works well, too. Introduce yourself at the mailbox, while walking the dog or when you take out the trash. Learn their names and offer a friendly: “Hello,” “Good Morning” or “Howdy Doody” when you see them. (As weird as “Howdy Doody” is, it does make you memorable.)

Keep Them Informed. Contact them before undertaking something that might affect them, such as hosting a big party, building a fence or cutting down a tree. Contacting a neighbor in advance so rarely happens, it will take them weeks to recover from the shock and by that time the announced event will have passed. Seriously, you will gain their respect.

Be Aware of Differences. Age, faith, ethnic background and marital status can drastically affect lifestyles. Be aware of the differences between you and your neighbors that could create friction or disagreement.

Look for Things in Common. You both might like to garden, bike or jog. Zero in on what you have in common. Be a keen observer of your neighbors and look for tell-tale signs that can draw you closer.

Point of View. From your neighbor’s viewpoint, how does your compost pile, swing set or junk car look? Would you like that view? (If you do, refer to your neighbor’s viewpoint).

Be Appreciative. If a neighbor does something you like, tell them! They’ll be pleased that you noticed the new awning, patio furniture, plants, etc.

Assume the Best. Most people don’t intentionally create problems. Assume the neighbor doesn’t know about the annoyance when you speak to them. Your delivery will be dramatically kinder. And assume they will be cooperative.

Be Candid. If your neighbor does something that bothers you, let them know as soon as possible in factual, not emotional terms.

Be Calm. When discussing a point of contention, speak calmly, listen carefully and thank them for telling you how they feel. You don’t have to agree or justify your behavior. If you don’t react defensively, anger usually subsides, lines of communication remain open and resolution is possible.

Take Your Time. If caught in angry confrontation, take a break to reflect and finish the discussion when cooler heads prevail. Don’t leave it hanging. Time and lack of resolution will intensify hostilities.

Best Advice of All. Treat others as you would like to be treated. This attitude will pave the way for good neighborliness. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Oh, I could go on and list 50 ways but like the song, you probably catch my drift. Being a good neighbor is worth the effort. If one of these ways doesn’t get you there, try 50 more until one does.

Social media is used by recruiters to look for “hidden” candidates and to disqualify inappropriate ones. It is used by sales reps to look for new prospects and connect better with existing ones. And it can be used by you to connect outward to those you know, and to develop your reputation with those you don’t.

For all these reasons and more, our prospects and clients spend increasing amounts of time on sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, often without a clear return on their time investment, and sometimes doing more harm than good.  And if they are spending time in the world of social media, then they are not spending time on our own websites.  (Most professionals know this has been true for years, even before social media came onto the scene.)  So if prospects are using social media, most real estate professionals know that they should be doing something there as well.

While the early adopters may have figured out precisely what that something is, the vast majority of real estate professionals are just now beginning to move into the social media world.  This “rush” holds great promise, but also has the potential to injure reputations, create embarrassment, and waste a huge amount of time. Social networking vs. social notworking.

Even if you think you are an expert, consider these guidelines:

Don’ts:

* Don’t be presumptive and assume that everyone will want to be your connection or friend. If there is any question in your mind that someone may refuse, then call them up and ask first. After all, a key goal of social networking is to facilitate real networking.

* Don’t automatically assume that everyone wants to give you a written recommendation. Some people feel uncomfortable giving blanket public recommendations, while others may not want to give you one at all. Best ask in a way that doesn’t put the other person into an embarrassing position.

* Don’t accept connections with people who you don’t have a real-world relationship with. If you do accept these unknowns, then they will pester you for introductions to your colleagues – or call them up directly and use your name. Yikes.

* Don’t be inconsistent with your image across the various social media sites. It raises a red flag. And at the same time, make sure that there are no embarrassing – or out-of-brand – images of you posted on these sites. These raise a redder flag.

Do’s:

* To prevent identity theft and to ensure that you are being represented properly, make sure that you claim your profile on the various profile aggregator sites. (www.Zoominfo.com is one of them).

* Do remember that everything that you ever wrote, if it was posted online, is findable online – even if was deleted. The Wayback Machine and Google have seen to it.

* Do check your profile regularly on each of LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo, MySpace, or wherever you have a presence, to ensure that nothing inappropriate about you was posted by your connections.

* Limit your time to a finite amount each day to “manage” the process.  If you’re not getting the results that you want, then either reduce the time further, or get some training to learn how to better utilize social media.

Despite the risks, social media represents a tremendous opportunity to significantly extend your personal and professional profile. The only question is whether you use the tool strategically or not. One more “Do”: this week, go through each site that you are registered on, and make sure that each is up-to-date, and consistent.