Windermere Marketing & PR

2010 Community Service Day Makes a Difference

Deb Shields — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 23:28:00 GMT

Windermere Anthem Hills And Windermere Prestige Properties selected HomeAid for their 2010 Community Service Day project!

The Windermere Community Day Committee collected applications throughout August. The committee then reviewed the applications and narrowed it down to two finalists. The committee scheduled on site visits to each location and interviewed the Executive Directors.

The committee was thrilled with the decision in selecting HomeAid for this year's project.

On October 15th, more than 40 Windermere agents, staff and affiliates, along with family members joined together to help WestCare, one of HomeAid's partners, give a facelift to the Stepping Stones facility. WestCare, a non-profit who

provides services to at-risk teens and throwaway youth, wanted their Stepping Stones facility to have a more homelike and comfortable setting for these broken youth.

Windermere volunteers arrived at 9:00am and painted 3 girls and 3 boys bedrooms, an Educational room, their living area, the Administrative office, a Counselors office and a huge hallway. They covered the institutional white walls with vibrant colors of sage green and adobe. But that's not the end of the project. The volunteers continued in each room painting artwork, words and inspirations phrases. The rooms came to life when James Cooper of The Amazing Art Company brought in his group of Graffiti artists who added the residents favorite idols, such as Michael Jordan, Andre Agassi, Venus & Sabrina Williams and female NASCAR drive, Danika Patrick.

The walls were filled with artwork in Chinese Symbols, hearts, flowers and sayings to give them hope, confidence and dreams. The residents were overwhelmed with the new facility they call home.

Windermere volunteers were overjoyed knowing how this one-day project will make a difference in hundreds of children lives that will pass through these halls over the years to come.

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2010 Community Service Day

Deb Shields — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:51:00 GMT

Windermere Real Estate selects HomeAid for their 2010 Community Service Day project!

The Windermere Community Day Committee collected applications throughout August. The committee reviewed the applications and narrowed it down to two finalists. The committee then went on site visits to each location and interviewed the Executive Directors.

We are happy to announce that HomeAid was selected. HomeAid’s mission is to build and maintain dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives. To accomplish this mission, HomeAid partners with non-profits who provide housing for the homeless, members of the building industry who provide materials and labor, and

members of the community who provide volunteer services. HomeAid’s vision is to play a vital role in ending homelessness.

One of HomeAid’s partners is WestCare, a non-profit who provides services to at-risk teens and throwaway youth. Their Stepping Stones facility is in need of a more homelike and comfortable setting for these broken youth.

The project will include:

Painting of the walls in 18 bedrooms;

Painting of the hallways that lead to the bedrooms;

Painting of the client lounge;

As the paint dries in each room, the beds will be dressed with new bedding and sturdy new dressers for their belongings will be delivered.

HomeAid explains “This is the ideal one-day event that will greatly impact hundreds of youth over the years. Because of this project, the children who temporarily call Steeping Stones their home will have brighter colors and happier places where they spend their time.”

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Windermere is Taking Applications for Community Service Day Project!

Deb Shields — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:07:00 GMT

Windermere Community Service Day

Our work is not about houses. It's about people.

We're in the business of selling houses. But more importantly, we're helping people
find a place they can call home. Our commitment to service extends beyond each real estate transaction. Every year since 1984, Windermere associates have skipped work for a day to complete neighborhood improvement projects.

Not only is Community Service Day a great opportunity to give back to the

communities where we live and work, it also gives us a chance to work together. We
clean, landscape and repair parks, playgrounds, schools, shelters and community
buildings. Each office selects a project that best serves its community needs.

After all, real estate is rooted in our communities. And an investment in our

neighborhoods gives us all a better place to call home.

Past projects have included cleaning, landscaping, painting and light carpentry to

benefit senior citizens centers, facilities for physically and mentally challenged
children and adults, public schools, low income housing and emergency shelters,
among others.

Community Service Day has been recognized by several local and national

organizations for its community improvement projects. The City of Las Vegas
recognized Windermere Real Estate with a Windermere Proclamation Day for October
15, 2008, for all the volunteer hours that has been served in Las Vegas.

Windermere is currently taking applications for a community project to be held on our

2010 Community Service Day, Friday, October 15th, 2010. The criteria for the project
must include the following:

The project shall be completed on Friday, October 15, 2010 between the hours of 9:00am-4:00pm. (Times may vary depending on the project)
The project will need to accommodate between 20-80 volunteers
The project will need to be detailed and include any materials needed for the project

Please complete the on-line application by August 31st. Finalist will be selected and
notified. A site visit and interview will be conducted and the final decision will be
made by Friday September 10th.

Windermere Community Service Day Application - click here to fill-out and submit online.

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HopeLink Receives $25,000 from Windermere Agents

Deb Shields — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:13:00 GMT

Windermere Owners Di Redman & Robyn Yates hand HopeLink Check for $25,000

Windermere Anthem Hills & Windermere Prestige Properties presented Hopelink with a check for $25,000 today! Owners Di Redman and Robyn Yates presented the check to Executive Director D

aniele Dreitzer and Board President Wanda Shumar. Daniele exclaimed that with this donation they will be able to assist families for the next 75 weeks!

Sandy Durgin, Representative for Harry Reid presented Windermere offices, Anthem Hills, Prestige Properties Green Valley and Prestige Properties Summerlin with certificates to honor and acknowledge the hard work and generosity of all agents for their contribution.

Councilwoman Geri Schroeder was in attendance and spoke of how the donation will not only help Hopelink and all their work, but other agencies that work in conjunction with Hopelink.

Panera Bread donated their famous cookies and coffee for all in attendance.

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Windermere To Give $25,000 to HopeLink

Deb Shields — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:55:00 GMT

Windermere Real Estate to Donate $25K to HopeLink

Grant will enable nonprofit to continue fighting homelessness through 2011

Robyn Yates, V.P. of Marketing for Windermere Real Estate, announced today the company's charitable foundation has selected Henderson Allied community Advocates, dba HopeLink, to receive its entire 2009 endowment, to put toward its homelessness prevention efforts. The $25,000 donation will be made official at a check presentation ceremony to be held at the non-profit organization's headquarters in Henderson, on June 9, 2010.

The 2009 endowment of $25,000 came from Windermere agents. For every transaction a Windermere agent made in the Las Vegas valley, a fee was donated to the foundation. Windermere agents care about the community they live in.

Established in Henderson in 1991, HopeLink focuses on preventing homelessness for families in crisis. For more than 18 years, the organization has worked to stabilize families and transition them back to permanent housing, through such services as emergency shelter, food pantry, transportation assistance and more.

The grant from the Windermere Foundation will allow HopeLink to provide payment for approximately 75 weeks of temporary shelter for individuals and families on the brink of homelessness, as well as transportation assistance for clients in shelter and some administrative costs.

"We are so thankful to be receiving these funds. HopeLink's emergency shelter program is really geared to assist those who cannot be served by other programs, homeless individuals being discharged with medical conditions from hospitals, families who cannot be accommodated in other shelters, families with adult disabled children, and others who just can't be served in a typical environment," said Daniele Dreitzer, executive director of HopeLink. "We are seeing more and more families with children who just can't keep their homes with the current economic situation. It can take several weeks, and sometimes longer to get families stabilized and into other programs. These funds will enable us to serve families that need additional assistance for a longer period of time, with an eye towards long term stability."

For the first time ever, Windermere's three Southern Nevada offices voted to combine their annual donations to the Windermere Foundation, for the purpose of awarding it to a single charity. Windermere held a call for submissions throughout the month of April, and Hopelink was among dozens of local non-profit organizations that applied to receive the grant.

"Being in real estate, we put families in homes everyday," said Yates. "Through our donations to the Windermere Foundation, we are able to provide housing for in-need families in all of our communities. It is our way of showing how blessed we feel as a company to be in such a position to give back."

The mission of the Windermere Foundation is to support homeless and low-income families. Nationally, non-profit agencies receiving Windermere Foundation dollars have furnished emergency and transitional housing, have subsidized costs for services such as health care, employment counseling, placement and training, day care, scholarships and much more. Contributions from Windermere agents combined with contributions from Windermere employees and the public have allowed the Windermere Foundation to distribute over $2 million annually in recent years to non-profit agencies dedicated to helping homeless and low-income families.

The check presentation ceremony will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on June 9, 2010, at 178 Westminster Way in Henderson. Refreshments will be served, courtesy of Panera Bread.

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Windermere to Give $25,000 to Local Charity!

Deb Shields — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:27:00 GMT

Windermere Real Estate Kicks off Search

for Most Deserving Non-profit in Las Vegas

One local organization to receive $25K grant for community outreach

Windermere Real Estate's charitable foundation is now soliciting applications from local non-profit organizations to receive the companys entire 2010 endowment to put toward their community outreach efforts.

Windermere Prestige Properties' Green Valley and Summerlin offices, along with Windermere Anthem Hills office voted to combine their 2010 contributions to the Windermere Foundation, with the purpose of donating it to a single charity. The total amount this year is $25,000, which was funded by a portion of the agent's commissions from each local Windermere sale for 2009.

The deadline for filing for the grant is April 30, 2010. Organizations that wish to apply must be a registered nonprofit organization and be committed to helping homeless and low-income families in Southern Nevada. The application process can be completed online at www.choosewindermere.com.

Of the submitted applications, Windermere will conduct call-in interviews with the organizations chosen as finalists. The final winner will be announced at a check presentation ceremony on June 1.

"Windermere realizes the past couple of years have been economically challenging for the community, and this is our way of supporting an organization that supports those who have been most affected", said Yates. "We also encourage other community members to join us in growing this worthy effort, through both monetary donations and active community outreach."

Contributions from Windermere agents combined with contributions from Windermere employees and the public have allowed the Windermere Foundation to distribute over $2 million annually in recent years to non-profit agencies dedicated to helping homeless and low-income families.

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WHAT IS EARNEST MONEY? HOW DO I GET IT BACK IF THERE IS A DISPUTE?

Deb Shields — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:36:00 GMT

Well, earnest money is the money you would put down to demonstrate your seriousness about buying that home. In order to prove your seriousness the earnest money must be large enough to demonstrate good faith and is usually between 1-5% of the purchase price (though the amount can vary with local customs and conditions).

If your offer is accepted, the earnest money becomes part of your down payment or closing costs
If the offer is rejected, your money is returned to you
If you back out of a deal, you may forfeit the entire amount
If either party refuses to execute the nessecary documents required to release the earnest money (See NRS645a.175 3.(a) very interesting )

*** NRS 645A.175 Duty to execute documents necessary to release money deposited in escrow; exception for good faith disputes; recovery of damages for failure to execute; award of attorney’s fees.
      1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2 or in the escrow agreement between the parties and the holder of the escrow, upon the close of an escrow for the sale of real property or on the date the escrow is scheduled to close if it has not closed, each party shall execute the documents necessary to release the money deposited in the escrow.
      2. A party may refuse to execute a document necessary to release the money deposited in the escrow only if a good faith dispute exists concerning that money.
      3. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 645.8701 to 645.8811, inclusive, if a party refuses to execute a document necessary to release the money deposited in the escrow within 30 days after the holder of the escrow makes a written request for the execution, the party injured by the failure of the other party to execute the document may collect from that party:
      (a) Actual damages of not less than $100 nor more than 1 percent of the purchase price of the real property for which the money was deposited in the escrow, whichever is greater;
      (b) The money deposited in the escrow which was not held to resolve a good faith dispute concerning the sale of the property; and
      (c) A reasonable attorney’s fee.
      (Added to NRS by 1995, 1527; A 1999, 1180)

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2009 Community Service Day!

Deb Shields — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:32:00 GMT

More than 30 members of Windermere Anthem Hills & Windermere Prestige Properties adopted a major geological site on the east side of Las Vegas October 16, as part of our Annual Community Service Day initiative.

This year's project consisted of a cleanup effort at the Great Unconformity, a geological site at the base of the Frenchman (Sunrise) Mountain. It is called the Great Unconformity because it represents a 1.2 billion-year gap - about one-fourth of the Earth's geologic history - which appears to missing between the rock layers.

For years, the site was plagued by illegal dumping and vandalism, but efforts such as Windermere's have greatly restored the area since the mid-1990s. Windermere agents completely filled a construction dumpster with litter, carpet, glass and bits of furniture.

Panera Bread ("The District" location) donated breakfast for all the volunteers. Bagels, pastries and fresh coffee was served. A big thank you to Panera Bread!

Windermere's Community Service Day: Making our neighborhoods better places to live, was established in 1984. All Windermere agents and staff dedicate one day each year to work together on neighborhood improvement projects. Community Service Day is a great opportunity to give back to the communities where we live and work, and gives us a chance to work together.

Because of Windermere's leadership role, similar programs have been adopted by real estate firms across the country.

Since the conception of Community Service Day, Windermere associates and staff have volunteered more than a half million hours of service to help improve our communities. We at Windermere are committed to continuing this tradition and expanding the positive impact it can have on the communities we share.

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The Phone Every Real Estate Agent Should Buy!

Deb Shields — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:53:00 GMT

MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION, THE HTC PRO2 (Watch the Video)

The HTC PRO 2 is possibly the most highly anticipated Windows Mobile device of all time. It marks the return of the tilting screen made popular by the HTC TyTN II (and its many variants such as the AT&T Tilt), plus the debut of some new technologies out of HTC that should very much appease the Windermere Real Estate professional. Introducing the HTC Touch Pro2. Form meets function. They tilt. A smart design, a speedy connection, and a big, bright touch screen that tilts. This is the smartphone you've been waiting for. The Touch Pro2's commanding design offers a 3.6 vibrant tilting touch screen. Slide out your screen to reveal a full-size keyboard to make email and texting faster.

The Touch Pro2 offers seamless integrated features that enable you to stay connected, informed, and in control with one touch. Put people at the center of your communication access all their calls, SMS, emails, and even status updates right from their contact card. Windows Mobile lets you manage your Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents on the go. With

HTC's Straight Talk, you can turn your device into a professional quality speakerphone by the simple act of flipping it over.

It's not all business with the Touch Pro2 with instant access to YouTube videos and the ability to take and send video and pictures with a 3.2 megapixel camera, you'll find endless entertainment.

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Google Analytics - Must Have!!!

Deb Shields — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:43:00 GMT

Looking for analytics to track data on your website?

All that a Windermere Platinum website user needs to do is create an account in Google, sign up for Google Analytics and paste a snippet of code into an appropriate field in your admin center. This is very easy to do…just go to http://www.google.com/analytics/ and if you already have a Google account for some reason, just use it. If not just follow the steps for creating an account and you are on your way.

Once you have created an account, you can then sign up for Google Analytics. Just a few more steps…and you will be done!

Once signed up a small snippet of code wil be displayed. You will need to copy the account number within this script of code and insert it into the appropriate place in your admin center…which will activate it.

[NOTE: Your Windermere Platinum Website has provided a manual to walk you through this whole process. Go into your admin center>website>website statistics>Google Analytics. Also take note of the field where you will paste in your Google Analytics account number. Then click the "Update Analytics" button and you are good to go.]

After this process is completed, you will be able to log into your Google Analytics account from any Web browser and see up-to-the-minute real time statistics on everything you could ever want to know about your site visitors and their behavior. All kinds of charts and graphs and information.

This powerful Web-based statistics package was once a stand alone product and cost $100’s/month before Google bought it awhile back, and now makes it available to anyone for free.

Website statistics are highly useful if you have the ability to a) understand what they are saying about your site’s ability or lack of ability to convert visitors to clients, and b) they can be used to help create a strategic plan of action.

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Windermere Launches a New Marketing Plan

Deb Shields — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:40:00 GMT

Do you have a Marketing Plan for your Real Estate Business?

I am excited to announce that Windermere Services Nevada is now offering a Marketing Fulfillment session for all agents that would like to take a tour of all the Windermere Marketing tools that are available.

As Windermere's Marketing Director, I will meet with you one-on-one and take you through each step of all the Marketing Tools and show you how to incorporate these tools in your marketing plan.

Some of the items we will cover are:

What does your marketing plan look like?
How to make the most out of marketing your farm
Do you have a SOI List?
Are you mailing marketing materials to your SOI?
Are you emailing the Windermere Report monthly?
Do you enhance all your listings with Realtor.com?
Do you use Windermere's Photo Gallery?
Do you have your Bio on all websites?
Referral Revenue Sources

According to NAR, 84% of consumers use the internet to view properties on line. Consumers are more educated and know exactly what they want and how much they want to spend for it. In today's market, the consumer is looking for an agent that is Technology savvy, educated, highly experienced and someone they can trust.

By looking at the Marketing methods available, you will learn how to market to your clients and gain their trust in you as the professional Windermere Agent that you are!

To schedule a Marketing Fulfillment session call Deb at:
702-432-4600 or email mailto:nvmarketing@windermere.com

Marketing will help your bottom line! So schedule yours today!

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Windermere New Email System Info

Deb Shields — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:01:00 GMT

When will my e-mail be migrated over?

Between June 1 and July 31, 2009, we will transition all associates with a Windermere.com email address to a new email system.

Windermere Email Accounts will be migrated on an individual basis.
We will not be migrating whole offices at a time.

We will no longer be publishing a schedule of associates with their migration date. All associates will receive at least 2 notifications prior to migration with notice about their upcoming migration.

Why a new e-mail system?
Email is consistently cited as the most important tool you use as part of your business. In order to ensure that you have the most current and scalable email, Windermere will be migrating our current webmail email system to an upgraded system offering you the advanced features you need to succeed in today's market.

What improvements come with the new system?
The new system is vastly superior to the current Windermere email system. Some of the upgraded features include:

1. Access email anytime, anywhere - from the office, at home or on the road.

2. Email, contacts, calendars and tasks can be automatically synchronized between the web and Outlook. Changes made at one location, are available in all.

3. Increased storage capacity equal to 10GB per account (compared to 50MB with our current vendor).

4. Share your calendar with other associates using the new system.

5. Mobile synching with BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and iPhone* at no extra charge.

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Short Sale Lender Submission & Processing Guide for Windermere Agents

Deb Shields — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:49:00 GMT

SHORT SALE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS BY LENDER

Many Mortgage Companies and Servicing Institutions have their own unique requirements when it comes to Short Sale requests from borrowers. Select from the list below to see the general requirements of the lender/ servicer.
We have included downloadable forms and documents for those lender or servicers that require special forms and documents to be completed by the borrower. Certain of the forms and documents we have available have been scanned and the quality of the image may not be of good quality.

ABOUT US THE COMPANY
www.mresolution.com

Mortgage Resolution Services, Inc. provides a full range of services to the real estate community, all designed to support the efforts of brokers and agents working with homeowners overburdened with mortgage debt. As market conditions become more challenging and mortgage delinquencies increase, Mortgage Resolution Services, Inc. can help. By providing education, coaching and a comprehensive short sale processing service, Mortgage Resolution Services, Inc. is ready to help real estate professionals who are seeking to adjust their business plan to account for current market conditions.

SHORT SALE PROCESSING

As pre-foreclosure and foreclosure numbers continue to run at very high levels, we can show you how to find homeowners who need your help.
For those of you who would like to keep in touch with your "regular" real estate business and who want to avoid getting gobbled up by the demands of handling the processing of short sale files we have a solution. Mortgage Resolution Services, Inc. can handle the short sale processing and negotiating tasks on your short sale files.
You keep the client, you take care of the real estate side of the transaction and we will do the heavy lifting with the mortgage lenders and their loss mitigation departments.
Even before you ever take this listing, we can let you know if you have a short sale transaction that will likely be approved.
As an agent all you have to sell is your time and your expertise. Mortgage Resolution Services, Inc. can help by confirming you have an approvable short sale so you don't waste time on a transaction that will likely be declined and we can remove the day-to-day burden of chasing down loss mitigators.

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Listen Up Las Vegas... Use your $8,000 Tax Credit as Your Down Payment!

Deb Shields — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:53:00 GMT

National Association of Realtors Applauds Use of First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit as Real Estate Down payment

Use $8,000 Tax Credit as Real Estate Down Payment. National Association of Realtors is Optimistic

By Sylvia Cochran

Today the National Association of Realtors comments on the change in the rules that allows the $8,000 tax credit to be used as a down payment for a real estate purchase.

$8,000 Tax Credit May Be Used For Real Estate Down Payment

The good news the National Association of Realtors was clamoring for, came in the form of an announcement from Shaun Donovan of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The association's website reports that the FHA has given the green light to lenders for a change in the real estate down payment rules.

The National Association of Realtors states that the $8,000 tax credit that home buyers would normally be able to apply for during their tax preparation may now actually be applied toward the down payment of the real estate purchase. A specially designed loan vehicle "pays forward" the tax credit and thus the real estate buyer borrows the funds for the down payment.

In the past, the use of borrowed funds for a real estate transaction was considered an unacceptable practice. Today, it might be the little extra nudge otherwise qualified real estate buyers require to make their dream of homeownership a reality.

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit as Real Estate Down Payment is Not a New Idea

The US News Home Front Blog reported that already in January of this year, the state of Missouri was allowing the first time homebuyer tax credit to be turned into a down payment on a piece of real estate. The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) discovered a way of writing a second loan of up to 6% of the home purchase price, which would then later on be paid off with the first time homebuyer tax credit that is valued at 10% of the purchase price.

Consumers who repay the down payment loan will not be charged interest but instead only a processing fee. Those who fail to repay when they receive the first time homebuyer tax credit see their down payment loan funneled into a 10 year loan that is repaid - with interest - over a decade.

Is it time for the National Association of Realtors to rejoice nationwide?

Sources

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/05/11/daily37.html; http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/05/re_summit?lid=ronav0019; http://www.usnews.com/blogs/the-home-front/2009/03/30/the-first-time-home-buyer-tax-credit-and-your-down-payment.html

More resources

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/05/11/daily37.html

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Las Vegas Listing Inventory Shrinks

Deb Shields — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:05:00 GMT

Las Vegas Inventory shrunk to nearly 18,000 resale units through the end of April. Inventory levels were down 22.2% compared to the same week of the prior year.

In April, closings were 98% of the listing price. Homes that were listed and sold in less than 30 days sold for 101% of the listed price. Forty-six percent of the properties listed are selling for 101% of list price and closing in 30 days or less. This is an indicator that the majority of homes are priced at fair market value.

Agents are seeing multiple offers on properties with curb appeal that are surfacing on the market. First-time homebuyers are realizing their dream of homeownership. Investors are taking advantage of the low prices and placing cash offers on properties that they hope will turn a profit. Short Sales (loans on properties that are higher than the current market value) are getting bank approvals faster and closing escrow.

NEW MONTHLY LISTINGS YEAR-TO-DATE

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4 Ways to Court International Investors

Deb Shields — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:05:00 GMT

The dollar’s plunge against many foreign currencies, along with softening real estate prices, have made U.S. properties extremely attractive to overseas buyers. Here are four ways to tap into this expanding market:

1. Join the club. Immigrants and foreign nationals often join social groups to connect with people like themselves. For instance, there’s a Canadian Club of Chicago, a Canadian Club of Washington, D.C., and a Canadian Association of New York. Looking to work with buyers from France? Try the Alliance Française in Washington, D.C. Wherever you are, find clubs that bring together people from around the world, and begin networking to generate referrals from overseas friends and relatives of local members.

2. Partner up. You may be able to find eager international buyers by teaming up with other professionals who’ve already built relationships with them. Search your area for attorneys, CPAs, and other professionals who work with international buyers. Interview them to determine their level of expertise and professionalism, and if they’re smart and capable, ask if they’re willing to send and receive referrals to overseas buyers.

3. Work the Web. Allow international investors to search for properties in their native language right from your Web site. How? Contact your state association first, because some, like Florida, offer the service to members. If your local association doesn’t offer that service, hook up with a capable Webmaster who can upgrade your site to allow foreign-language searches.

Also, make sure your advertising directs foreign buyers to a Web page that’s geared specifically to them. If you advertise in, say, Paris, include the address for a Web site that you’ve created exclusively for French-speaking visitors. Or put a French flag prominently on your Web page with a link that says, “View this page in French.” That helps international buyers feel as though you understand them and allows you to track responses to your ads.

And be sure your Web content incorporates the local dialect. Find an expert translator who can translate precisely and use common phrases and idioms familiar to buyers in their language.

4. Ask for help. Treat international buyers no differently than you’d treat U.S. buyers—ask them for referrals. Also, get their opinions on the best places to advertise for buyers in their area, and ask if they’d be willing to make in-person introductions to brokers from their country with whom you can build a professional relationship.

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Do We Really Need to Use Technology...

Deb Shields — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:49:00 GMT

If I haven't been able to convince you yet of where our industry, the worlds technology and whether you should be apart of it or not check out these numbers!

Do you know how many people are using search engines every day?

Do you know how many blogs are on the world wide web?

Do you know how many videos are actually on YouTube?

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TOP 6 MOBILE/CELL PHONES for Business Professionals

Deb Shields — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:22:00 GMT

You're intelligent enough to know that carrying around a cell phone and a PDA is inefficient. Lighten your load by utilizing an all in-one device. Whether you use it as an organizer, an e-mail device, a cell phone, or all of the above, getting a smartphone is a smart move. Here are the top SIX picks for these phone-PDA hybrids; picked one for each major carrier, as well as one unlocked smartphone and one from out side the states.

TOP SIX MOBILE/CELL PHONES

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Las Vegas Home Closings on the Rise!

Deb Shields — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:28:00 GMT

March home closings rose 21% to 2,720 compared to February closings. Buyers are taking advantage of the current market conditions and purchasing homes. Home closings are up 74% from March 2008. As foreclosures and short sale listings are still flooding the Las Vegas inventory, buyers are benefiting with the combination of low sales prices, low interest rates and high inventory. Foreclosed homes were 81% of the closings for March.

The average home price in Las Vegas dropped another 5% last month, or 43% since March of 2008. Multiple offers on properties are making a comeback as buyers are bidding on pristine properties at prices from 2002 and 2003 levels.

The Condominium market is up 25% from 441 sales in February to 554 in March. Compared to the same time last year, condo closings are up 164%. Condo foreclosures were 86% of the total closings for March. Condo short sales (the sale of a property that is less than the current loan amount) have steadily increased in 2009, showing that sellers are working with banks to sell their homes to avoid foreclosure.

The market is showing signs of strength when you factor in the contingent and pending sales of 9,220, many of which are waiting for bank approval. The number of closings, once bank approvals are received, could have a very positive market impact, decreasing inventory and further improving closing figures.
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Is Las Vegas Good for Investors?

Deb Shields — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:03:00 GMT

Investors Corner

Savvy investors are snapping up condos, town homes and single-family homes. Property prices have fallen to a point in which many properties provide a positive cash flow. Rentals are still strong in the valley. In addition, the rate of return on these investments is exceeding Wall Street. An example:

A 1 bedroom, 1 bath condominium, being offered at $50,000 in the community of Latigo in Silverado Ranch, rents for an average of $750.00 a month. The monthly association fees are $120 a month. See chart for the cash flow and return on investment.

Additional considerations:

These calculations assume 100% occupancy.

Closing costs are not factored into the cash investment.

Additional returns could be made over time as the property increases in value.

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What is Web 2.0?

Deb Shields — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:17:00 GMT

You’ve probably heard the phrase "Web 2.0". You may’ve even read some of the various definitions of it. And Web 2.0 does appear to mean different things to different people, so you would be forgiven for still feeling confused about the term.

Here are some of the definitions of Web 2.0 floating about:

Web 2.0 = the web as platform

Web 2.0 = the underlying philosophy of relinquishing control

Web 2.0 = globalization ("making global information available to local social contexts and giving people the flexibility to find, organize, share and create information in a locally meaningful fashion that is globally accessible")

Web 2.0 = an attitude not a technology

Web 2.0 = when data, interface and metadata no longer need to go hand in hand

Web 2.0 = action-at-a-distance interactions and ad hoc integration

Web 2.0 = power and control via APIs

Web 2.0 = giving up control and setting the data free

Web 2.0 = Trulia Voices, Amazon, Blogs, MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Flickr

While at first glance some of those definitions may be contradictory, we can distill from them certain characteristics of Web 2.0.

Web 2.0 is social, it’s open (or at least it should be), it’s letting go of control over your data, it’s mixing the global with the local. Web 2.0 is about new interfaces - new ways of searching and accessing Web content. And last but not least, Web 2.0 is a platform - and not just for developers to create web applications like Gmail and Flickr. The Web is a platform to build on for educators, media, politics, community, for virtually everyone in fact!

Web 2.0 is all of the above things - don’t let anyone tell you it’s one or the other definition.

Take a look at what the education community is doing with the Web, for example. They are not only starting to use the tools of Web 2.0 - blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc. They’re also adapting to a new generation of kids who are growing up on the Web, the so-called ‘Digital Natives’. The challenge for educators now and for the future is to learn and teach Internet literacy, converse and collaborate with their students using Web tools, and help our children make sense of the huge amounts of information and media that surround us.

Web 2.0 is about the people, when it comes down to it. So it has to be inclusive. The definitions of technologists, social scientists, web designers, philosophers, educators, business people, anybody - they all count.

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Windermere Services Nevada Quarterly Meeting Recap

Deb Shields — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:11:00 GMT

Windermere Services Nevada Quarterly Event

Windermere Services Nevada held their first Quarterly Event for the year on March 24, 2009 at Bear’s Best Golf Club located in Summerlin. Over one hundred Windermere owners, agents, and sponsors were in attendance. Robyn Yates, V.P. of Marketing and Sales opened the event themed “Embracing Change”, introducing Walt Coffey and his International Team, who gave a presentation on their project Novo Cancun in Mexico.

Premier Directors Chana Anderson and Christine McNaught presented the Premier Properties Program and how to get more exposure for properties listed at $750,000 or more. They also explained the newly formed Premier Mastermind Network and invited more agents to join.   To apply as a Premier Member, Click here! Currently there is no charge to join.

Robyn introduced Windermere Owners, Steve & Di Redman, Windermere Anthem Hills, Heidi & Peter Kasama, Windermere Summerlin, Mike & Janice Davis, Windermere Southland, St. George.

The Windermere Services Leadership Team, Robyn Yates, Dennis Yates, Jeff Brick, Veronica Richards and Deb Shields worked very hard to bring the message of “Embracing Change”, as our market today has changed from years past and how to overcome and work through the challenges we face today.

Jeff Brick & Veronica Richards lead the audience in activities surrounding change and concluded with their first edition of “Windermere Hits the Streets” video! The Leadership Team went to the strip and proposed the questions to the public “How do you want to receive communication and what technology do you engage?”   This fun video entertained the agents, as well as brought the message home…that technology is here and it’s big. The public is using cell phones and texting more than using the internet.



Jeff Brick gave a presentation on Windermere’s newest technology tool, “Mobile Agent”. With mobile agent, buyers will be able to drive the neighborhoods and pull up any listing, complete with photos and view the property in detail. As an agent you will be notified as to which listings your buyer viewed. To sign up for this fabulous service and the most up to date cutting edge technology, click here!

Jeff also discussed Windermere’s Platinum website, With our website, agents will have a custom CMA in minutes that will also include school district with statistical information, neighborhood crime reports, and much, much more! To sign up for Windermere’s Platinum website, click here!

The event concluded with the event Sponsors giving a presentation on their products and services and raffle prizes.

A special thank you to all our sponsors:

Countrywide Home Loans

Direct Access Lending

Equity Title

Fidelity National Title

The Home News

Old Republic Home Protection

Pillar to Post

Pro Handyman

The Warranty Group

Wells Fargo Home Loans
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Gen X and Gen Y Rule the Buyer Market... Are You Ready?

Deb Shields — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:36:00 GMT

The NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers for 2008 reveals some important secrets Realtors can't afford to ignore. Here's the inside scoop.

1. Gen X and Gen Y Rule the Buyer Market

If you're working with buyers, you can no longer ignore the fact that 60 percent of today's buyers were born after 1964 (i.e. are members of Gen X and Gen Y). In fact, 54 percent of first-time buyers are in the 25-to-34 age group. For Gen X and Gen Y, the primary motivations for buying was their desire to own a home, a job-related relocation or move, the desire for a larger home, or a change in their family situation. Opportunity: As 75 percent of all first-time buyers are currently renting an apartment, consider marketing to tenants in high-end rentals. For buyers ages 18-24, 62 percent used social networking sites several times per week. That number drops to only 33 percent for buyers ages 25 to 44. To earn the right to do business with this growing group of young buyers, become an active part of the online conversation. This does not mean promoting your services. Instead, consider sites such as Facebook and Twitter to be similar to a social gathering where You meet others who share common interests. Gen X and Gen Y want to get to know you in a social environment prior to doing business with you. Dump the vanity marketing that focuses on you and your accomplishments. Instead, show up as an interesting, fun person who also happens to be a competent and likeable real estate professional.

...(Continued)...
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Should I BUY or Should I RENT now...

Deb Shields — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:45:00 GMT

Market conditions play a huge part in any decision about when to buy. Housing market values have varied widely from region to region in recent years. While the Florida market has seen meteoric rises in home values, Las Vegas has seen its real estate prices go into negative territory in the last year. Do not buy high and sell low. It's all about you! The top three reasons people file for bankruptcy are change of job status, divorce, and unforeseen health expenses. If you face any of these challenges and don't have a financial cushion, this may negatively impact your ability to pay a mortgage. Big life events dictate your readiness to buy now or to wait for a little more stability.

Potential signs that you should NOT be buying now:

Will you be moving within the next five years?

Will you be having kids soon?

Will you be making a job change?

Have you recently filed for bankruptcy or is your credit score below 630?

If you answered YES...

...to any of these questions, or you are experiencing other life-changing events like illness, marriage, divorce, or breakup, you may want to wait.

On the other hand, if you are willing to buy a home that needs a bit of work and, over time, you can afford to get it done, your home could appreciate faster, strengthening your financial position. If you are willing to take on a roommate or renter, you can also soften the expense of a mortgage, which almost always costs more than rent. Buying a home is a risk, and it's worth asking yourself hard questions about what you're willing to do to protect yourself from getting in over your head.

If you answered NO...

...the life-change questions, and have the down payment or equity from your current home, you still need to look at interest rates and at how buying affects your taxes. You can't time the stock market, but you can time interest rate hikes, as they are a little easier to predict. If they are going up fast, you can jump in before they rise too far; if they are already high, you will have to calculate how refinancing in the future affects your budget. What to do first? If you are anxious to get moving, be patient.

You have a few things to do first:

Go to open houses - get the lay of the land

Talk to a mortgage broker to get pre-approved, discuss your payment comfort level and purchasing ability.

Interview and select a Reputable Real Estate Firm and agent

Review credit report and scores with mortgage broker to determine if any repairs are needed

So take a moment to breathe in today's economic environment and realize it does not need to stress you out!   Proper advance planning with the Right real estate professional will make this whole experience exciting and easy!

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Could ‘Mark-to-Market’ Mortgages Save Las Vegas’ Home Market:

Deb Shields — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:22:00 GMT

U.S. President Barack Obama’s $75 billion plan to help families avoid foreclosure should be bolder. While it is a meaningful rescue attempt that may help 9 million Americans, it could be doomed unless mortgage issuers have to write down principal to reflect current market values. The odious (to lenders) concept of a “mark-to-market” mortgage might be one way to put a floor on home-price declines.

Why not give those in or facing foreclosure a haircut on principal? About 20 percent would be fair, reflecting the national decrease in house prices. And, what about the diligent souls who have been paying their mortgages all along?   Lower mortgage rates reflecting the Federal Reserve’s cost of funds -- about 1 percent, plus 2 percentage points of profit for the lenders -- would be beneficial. That may boost new-home sales, re-sales and refinancing.   A strong new mortgage law could limit write downs before a foreclosure hits the overcrowded court system.

To avoid abuse, mark-to-market would be used only as a last resort; after all other options are exhausted. In its current form, though, the Obama mortgage bailout relies mostly on voluntary interest-rate modifications for relief through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-seized mortgage companies. Designed to keep people in their homes; the plan calls for reducing rates so that monthly payments are eventually no more than 31 percent of household income.

The plan has shortfalls; if Congress sanctions mortgage write downs or “cram-downs” in bankruptcy court each judge may be allowed to forgive as much principal as deemed appropriate. Even if a homeowner avoids bankruptcy and heads straight to foreclosure, a bank that repossesses the home can lose 40 percent or more in fees, commissions and discounting when the lender finally resells it. Marking down 20 percent in principal would be a relative bargain.

That’s where a write down cap would come in. Index it to local real-estate prices. When there’s a recession, you are more likely to get a break. If you have positive equity, it’s unlikely you will write it down. Mandatory Counseling: combine the write down and bankruptcy provisions with mandatory counseling and screening. That might stem future defaults, which have been occurring in 57 percent of Fannie’s and Freddie’s loan modifications.

Everyone has a stake in a sensible solution to the crisis. If your neighbor’s home goes into foreclosure, it will depress your property value and often lead to an increase in crime. The whirlpool of defaults also contributes to lower consumer spending, constricted bank lending and even lower home prices, which dipped almost 19 percent in December. Hard times require bold systemic changes!

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