Season’s Greeting From RE/MAX 4000
| Please Enjoy! | ||||
|
||||
Short Sale Process Shortened
December 3, 2009 
Margaret Kelley with RE/MAX International explaines the new process.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkuXvFBYXVU
RE/MAX 4000 is here to answer any questions you have and to help guide you through the process. 970-241-4000 or www.gjproperties.com
‘Tis The Season
December 2, 2009 
RE/MAX 4000 is proud to participate with the Salvation Army Giving Tree program. The program is designed to help a family in need by providing Christmas presents this Holiday Season.
The RE/MAX 4000 Giving Tree is located in the lower lobby of our offices located at 120 W. Park Drive (First and Patterson). A tag with a child’s name and their wish list for Christmas are hanging on the tree, after you have selected a tag – you get to go have fun shopping. Bring back an unwrapped gift along with the tag selected and we will make sure the child gets what you have picked out for them. All gifts need to be back under the tree by December 18th.
Honestly, isn’t it the little things that mean so much. After hanging the wish lists for each of the children, I couldn’t help but wish I could do the shopping for each and every child. We need your help. Make a difference in a child’s life and in doing so, you’ll make a difference in your own.
Happy Holidays. Toni Milyard RE/MAX 4000
News From RE/MAX International
The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday released a plan to speed up and encourage Short Sales as a means to help families avoid foreclosure. We’ve been offering Short Sale proposals to public officials for over a year, and although the new guidelines aren’t everything we were hoping for, they do represent a significant improvement over the current situation.
Short Sales have been difficult to close, and these new measures are a huge step in the right direction. One major highlight: A lender must give a yes or no answer to an offer within 10 days. Also included: a moving allowance, incentives for sellers and lenders, commission rules, and a stipulation that releases sellers from debt liabilities.
Here’s an initial Reuters news story outlining the new policies.
As we’ve said throughout 2009, the key is to become experts in the process. We expect a tremendous increase in Short Sales during the coming year. RE/MAX Associates continue to lead the industry in Distressed Property skills and training.
At RE/MAX International, our staff is quickly developing resources to help in understanding the new Short Sale guidelines.
Thank you.
Dave Liniger
RE/MAX International Chairman and Co-Founder
Low Interest Rates May Not Be For Long
- On Monday, we’ll get a glimpse of consumer spending patterns as we head into the crucial holiday shopping season when the Retail Sales report is released. In last month’s report, Retail Sales for September were reported at -1.5%. The drop was due in part to a slump in auto sales after the Cash for Clunkers program ended, but the overall number was better than the -2.1% that was expected. When stripping out autos, sales rose 0.5%, which was higher than the 0.2% anticipated. The report due out this week is expected to come in at 0.9% (and 0.4% when auto sales are stripped out).
- Inflation news is also on tap this week. The Producer Price Index (PPI), which provides information about inflation at the wholesale level, will be released on Tuesday. Remember, inflation is harmful to Bonds and interest rates. Last month, PPI unexpectedly came in at -0.6% for September, mostly due to a drop in energy prices. When stripping out food and energy, the Core PPI came in at -0.1%, versus the 0.1% rise that was anticipated. This week, PPI is expected to come in at 0.5% and Core PPI is expected to be reported at 0.1%.
- More inflation news comes in on Wednesday when the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is released. In last month’s report, CPI rose 0.2% in September–despite “creative” accounting of the Cash for Clunkers program, which dramatically lowered that number. Imagine how much higher CPI would have been had this “creativity” not been used. Overall, the report indicated that inflationary forces may be underway. We’ll see if that thinking continues this week, when CPI is expected to be reported at 0.2% and Core CPI is expected to be reported at 0.1%.
- Wednesday also brings us a look at the health of the housing industry with reports on Housing Starts and Building Permits. In last month’s report, 590,000 Housing Starts were reported for September, which was lower than expectations of 610,000. Building Permits, which are an indicator of future construction, fell to 573,000, below the 595,000 expected. This week, Housing Starts are expected to be reported at 600,000 and Building Permits are expected to be reported at 580,000.
- Finally, the Philadelphia Fed Index is due out on Friday. This is one of the most-watched manufacturing reports because industry experts use it to help forecast the upcoming national ISM Index. Last month, the index came in below expectations at 11.5 for October, which was down from September’s reading of 14.1. The report this week is expected to come in at 12.0.
Foreclosure Listings Now on remax.com
November 16, 2009
Filed under Local News, Market Watch, What's New with RE/MAX 4000
They’re here!!! You can now search foreclosure listings on remax.com. The number one foreclosure listing Web site, Realty Trac, is providing remax.com vistors information on more than 1.3 million REO properties across the United States. Sourced by government agencies and national news media, Realty Trac collects foreclosure data from more than 2,200 counties, covering more than 90 percent of U.S. households.
The new partnership with Realty Trac creates opportunities for RE/MAX 4000 Associates on the Western Slope to help their clients take advantage of valuable savings on U.S. properties.
“The new partnership with Realty Trac is about adapting to the market we’re facing,” says Kristi Graning, RE/MAX International Senior Vice President, Information Technology and eBusiness. :Agents and Broker/Owners can leverage the Realty Trac foreclosure information and inventory on remax.com for their sellers and buyers.”
The consumer experience When you visit www.remax.com to search foreclosure listings, click on the foreclosure tab on the search box located at the top of the page, enter your search area and hit “Search”. Results include basic information about available REO properties, including: Aerial photo – Street name, city and zip code – County - Year built – Type – Property ID – Property details such as bedrooms, bathrooms & square footage when available – Property status – Promotion of the registration view for Realty Trac subscribers.
Visitors also will see options to (1) sign up for a 7-day free trial with Realty Trac (2) subscribe to Realty Trac for additional property details at $49.95 a month or (3) “Ask An Agent.” Subscriptions include access to the following information:
- Full property address
- Estimated market value
- Foreclosure information (when available): default amount, recording date, entered on, last payment, opening bid, auction date, auction location, referee
- Foreclosing loan information (when available): balance, loan date, loan document, number, transfer date, transfer value, first loan amount, judgement amount
- Tax assessment information (when available): land total, improvements, assessed total
- Contact information (when available): owner’s name, address
- Lien and loan history (when available): from “Lien & Loan History” tab at realtytrac.com
- Trends (when available): from “Trends” tab at realtytrac.com
Be sure to call your RE/MAX 4000 Agent to fill you in on all the details and to further answer any of your questions.
We at RE/MAX 4000 are proud to be a part of the leading edge franchise of RE/MAX, keeping you better informed in today’s market. 970-241-4000 or 1-800-777-4573.
information provided by RE/MAX International.
RE/MAX 4000 News
Well, Well, Well, There has been much going on at RE/MAX 4000. We proudly participated in a canned food drive to assist those in need in our community. The biggest driving force for the campaign was the the back-pack program for hungry children. Did you know that over 3000 children go home every Friday looking forward to empty bellies. The back-pack program assists families to provide meals through the weekend until the children come back to school.
RE/MAX 4000 had and still have a food deposit site in their lower lobby of our office. In three days the staff and agents participated in raising over $3000 worth of canned food. The community supported us with food donations as well as generous cash contributions at the corner of First and Patterson and at the First Street City Market.
The day of the main event was October 28th, we dressed in Halloween costumes to help draw awareness. Oh my goodness, it was a fantastic day. Giving back to the community is really important to RE/MAX 4000. Thank you everyone who helped fill some empty tummies.
RE/MAX Is Top Real Estate Franchise
|
|
 INDUSTRY LEADERS: The 2009 Franchise Times Top 200 list ranks RE/MAX at No. 12. |
RE/MAX joins the exclusive ranks of the most successful franchise chains in the world after being named to the 2009 Franchise Times Top 200. RE/MAX makes its debut on the list in the No. 12 position, in front of all other real estate competitors and in the company of top franchises such as McDonalds, 7-Eleven and Marriott Hotels.
The Franchise Times Top 200 is an annual financial snapshot of the 200 most successful U.S.-based franchise companies as measured by worldwide sales. The complete list of honorees appears in the October issue of Franchise Times.
“The RE/MAX Network continues to grow because we offer so much value to our franchise owners,” says Margaret Kelly, CEO of RE/MAX International. “Global brand recognition, the industry’s most extensive educational resources, and all the support our offices need to be productive and successful. We like to tell our owners that ‘at RE/MAX, you’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself.’”
Since the beginning of 2009, nine countries have joined the network, and RE/MAX International has sold nearly 400 franchises worldwide. There’s a presence in over 70 countries, more than any other real estate network.
The Franchise Times honor is the second time this year that RE/MAX has been recognized by the franchise community. In January, RE/MAX was the highest-ranked real estate franchise in Entrepreneur Magazine’s 30th Annual ÒFranchise 500 Survey,” a tribute the company has received in nine out of the last ten years.
RE/MAX has also been recognized as one of the “Top 25 Franchise Opportunities” by Hispanic Enterprise, and one of the “Top 50 Franchises for Minorities” by the National Minority Franchising Initiative.
And in 2009, for the third year in a row, RE/MAX was ranked on the list of America’s “Top 10 Military Spouse-Friendly Employers,” according to Military Spouse Magazine.
Information received from RE/MAX International
Extension of Tax Credit Looks Likely
| Extension of Tax Credit Looks Likely |
 |
|
FIRST-TIME BUYERS: A lively RE/MAX video, accessible on both YouTube and Agent Training on Demand, illustrates that “RE/MAX Agents Know $8K Tax Credit.”
|
A Realty Times Feature Article by Kenneth R. Harney
Quick passage by the House last week of a bill extending the $8,000 home buyer tax credit next year for military, diplomatic and intelligence personnel serving overseas increases the odds that Congress will agree to an extension, maybe even an expansion, of the entire credit program well into 2010.
The White House is also signaling that it sees the overall tax credit program – currently set to expire November 30 – as an important element in cutting the unemployment rolls and stimulating new jobs next year.
After an economic policy strategy meeting last week in the Oval Office involving President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, congressional aides said Democrats generally support an extension of the housing credit.
Reid already has made clear he wants an extension. He is co-sponsoring a Senate bill that would do so for six months.
Congressman Charles Rangel, chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, sponsored the one-year extension of the credit for military and other personnel serving overseas, and is reported by aides as favoring an extension for the entire program.
The White House has not publicly committed to an extension, but has confirmed that the President is seriously examining that option.
An unexpected development that emerged following last week’s White House meeting was the possibility of opening up the credit to a broader group of buyers next year – people who sell their current homes and buy a replacement home.
Though details were scanty, Capitol Hill sources said one option on the table would be to provide a tax credit – most likely at the $8,000 level – to replacement home buyers whose incomes do not exceed some limit.
The current credit phases out for single taxpayers with incomes above $75,000, and married purchasers earning $150,000.
A politically sensitive issue hovering over the entire debate on extending the housing tax credit is its cost – what it would add to the federal budgetary deficit. Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Economy.com, estimates that widening the credit to all buyers through next August could cost the government upwards of $30 billion.
Rangel’s 12-month extension of the credit for service personnel is estimated to cost more than $300 million, but it’s mainly being paid for through an increase in penalties levied by the IRS on taxpayers who fail to file corporate or partnership returns.
The New York Times reported that one possible solution to the cost problem would be to divert money not yet spent out of 2009’s $800 billion stimulus legislation
