RE/MAX Green Offers Agents Second Environmental Designation Through EcoBroker
RISMEDIA, October 16, 2009—RE/MAX International, Inc. recently announced that to further its RE/MAX Green program, the Denver-based franchise company is partnering with EcoBroker to offer RE/MAX agents additional green educational courses. The partnership provides a chance for agents to earn another energy and environmental designation.
The EcoBroker Certified designation program offers RE/MAX agents courses that will allow them to become certified in and specialize in green real estate. RE/MAX International launched RE/MAX Green earlier this year and has green certified real estate designees across the country.
"RE/MAX agents are the most knowledgeable and experienced in the business, and have the professional specialties that consumers look for when they're buying or selling a home," said Tom Kramig, vice president of Multi-Media and Education. "Our agents seek out this type of education, especially green training, because they're both environmentally conscious and they know it makes a difference to the consumer."
According to the company, RE/MAX Green was designed to help RE/MAX agents earn green designations while pairing eco-conscious consumers with an experienced and knowledgeable agent. The RE/MAX Green program also helps homebuyers and sellers identify RE/MAX agents and offices with expertise in locating eco-friendly homes or recommending changes to reduce a home’s carbon footprint.
RE/MAX officials state that the EcoBroker certification program will supplement education already offered through RE/MAX International’s award-winning RE/MAX University. Three modules make up the EcoBroker 18-hour curriculum including EcoBroker Environmental Advantage, EcoBroker Energy Advantage and EcoBroker Green Market Advantage. Agents also receive first-year membership benefits like membership in the Association of Energy and Environment Real Estate Professionals (AAERP.org), as well as access to marketing tools and templates and national networking opportunities.
Combined with RE/MAX University’s industry-leading education platform, RE/MAX Affiliates who earn their EcoBroker certification and other designations are positioned to be the most informed and educated real estate agents today.
"RE/MAX agents have always been early adopters and appeared among our very first EcoBroker Certified members," said John Stovall, vice president for Business Development, EcoBroker International. "We are proud to have certified hundreds of RE/MAX agents through our training programs over the years. The RE/MAX Green program offered through RE/MAX University reaffirms the strong commitment RE/MAX agents have for their clients and their environment."
RE/MAX University delivers educational programs to its Associates through classroom training, online streaming video, downloads, conferences and via RE/MAX Satellite Network, the company’s exclusive satellite TV network.
Posted at 01:56PM Oct 17, 2009 by RE/MAX ELITE in Real Estate | Comments[0]
Housing Affordability Continues to Hover Near Highest Level in 18 Years...
RISMEDIA, August 21, 2009-Bolstered by affordable interest rates and low prices, nationwide housing affordability during the second quarter of 2009 continued to hover near its highest level since the series began 18 years ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI).
The HOI showed that 72.3% of all new and existing homes sold in the second quarter of 2009 were affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,000, down only slightly from the record-high 72.5% during the previous quarter and up from 55.0% during the second quarter of 2008.
"The increase in affordability-along with the $8,000 federal tax credit for home buyers-is stimulating demand, particularly among young, first-time buyers," said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. "But to keep the recent upturn in home sales going into next year, Congress will need to extend the tax credit for another year and make it available to all buyers in an effort to encourage activity in the trade-up market."
Robson noted that the tax credit, which expires on Nov. 30, is currently limited to just buyers purchasing their first home.
For more information, visit www.nahb.org
We are definitely fans of an extended tax credit plan here at RE/MAX Elite. You can count on us to stay on top of any breaking news, and pass it along to our Customers. If you have any questions, or if there is anything we can do for you right now, please don't hesitate to give us a call.
Respectfully,
Justin Brown, CDPE
Broker/Owner
RE/MAX Elite
Posted at 01:06PM Aug 21, 2009 by RE/MAX ELITE in Real Estate | Comments[0]
New Tenant Rights In Foreclosures...
WASHINGTON - Aug. 19, 2009 - On May 20, 2009, the "Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009," P.L. 111-22, was
signed into law. Title VII of the law, the "Protecting Tenants at
Foreclosure Act," included provisions to protect to tenants faced with
eviction if their rented property goes through foreclosure. The provisions took
effect May 20, 2009, and expire on Dec. 30, 2012.
The tenant protection provisions apply for any foreclosure on a "federally-related mortgage loan," or on any dwelling or
residential real property. Under the provisions, "any immediate successor
in interest" in a foreclosed property - including a bank that takes
title to a house after foreclosure - assumes it subject to the rights of
any bona fide tenant and certain notice requirements.
Under this law, tenants must receive notice at least 90 days before eviction.
Additionally, tenants must be able to stay in the residence until the end of
their lease, with two exceptions: (1) where the property is sold after
foreclosure to a purchaser who will occupy the property as their primary
residence, and, (2) where there is no lease (or where the lease is terminable
at will under state law). However, even when these exceptions apply, tenants
must still receive 90 days' notice before they may be evicted.
The legal protections apply only to "bona fide" tenants - meaning that the lessee is not the mortgagor or a child, spouse or parent of
the mortgagor; the lease is the product of an arm's-length transaction;
and the rent is not substantially less than fair market rent (unless a
government subsidy). Also, it does not affect the termination requirements of
any federal or state-subsidized tenancy, or of any stricter state law that
provides longer notice requirements or other additional tenant protections.
The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) advised national banks
to adopt policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the new tenant
protection provisions; and it will evaluate bank compliance.
Questions can be directed to the OCC. For more information, visit the webpage
at: http://www.occ.treas.gov/
Please contact Sheryl Jones at (321) 863-7824 if you need any further assistance. Sheryl is our Senior Property Manager at RE/MAX Elite, and is extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of Tenant and Landlord relationships.
Respectfully,
Justin Brown, CDPE
Broker/Owner
RE/MAX Elite
Posted at 04:21PM Aug 20, 2009 by RE/MAX ELITE in Real Estate | Comments[0]
USA Today Covers Short Sale Saga
Posted at 02:02PM Aug 15, 2009 by RE/MAX ELITE in Real Estate | Comments[0]
Recovery is under way...
WASHINGTON - The U.S. housing market has started to recover from the most far-reaching crisis since the Great Depression, data released Thursday show.
Sales of previously occupied homes rose for the third month in a row in June, the National Association of Realtors reported. That hasn't happened since early 2004, during the boom.
"The turnaround in the housing market appears finally to be here and indeed may be gaining some speed," wrote Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors Inc.
Stocks jumped on the news, with the Dow Jones industrial average rising above 9,000 for the first time since early January.
Home sales rose 3.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million last month, from a downwardly revised pace of 4.72 million in May. Sales were up in all four regions of the country.
It was the highest level of sales since last October and beat economists' expectations. Sales had been expected to rise to an annual pace of 4.84 million units, according to Thomson Reuters.
In another encouraging sign, the share of foreclosures on the market is shrinking. About one out of three homes sold in June was foreclosure-related, down from nearly half earlier this year.
And the glut of homes up for sale dwindled to 3.8 million. That's a 9.4-month supply at the current sales pace and another important sign of a recovery. When the market balances at a 7-month supply prices should begin to stabilize, the Realtors's group said.
That probably won't happen until next year because of a backlog of foreclosures that have yet to come on to the market. The median sales price was $181,800 in June, down 15 percent from year-ago levels but up slightly from $174,700 in May.
Nevertheless, prices have risen for three straight months in about half of the 55 major metropolitan areas tracked by the Associated Press-Re/Max Housing Report, also released Thursday.
Things are definitely starting to pick up here in Brevard County, Florida. In the midst of all the negative news out there, our Office is on pace to have a record year in sales. If you are interested in buying or selling, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at 1-800-983-3457. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Respectfully,
Justin Brown
Broker/Owner
RE/MAX Elite
Posted at 12:19PM Jul 27, 2009 by RE/MAX ELITE in Real Estate | Comments[0]
DoD Announces $555 Million Expansion To Homeowners Assistance Program
The Department of Defense (DoD) today announced details for the temporary expansion of the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The $555 million allocated to the HAP will be used to provide benefits to eligible military and DoD civilians who face financial losses selling their primary residence during the current housing downturn.
The DoD HAP
has been providing financial assistance to military and DoD civilians for
more than 40 years, and most recently, has been mainly used to provide
benefits to personnel at base realignment and closure (BRAC) sites where
government action caused a decrease in market home values. ARRA funding
allows the DoD to temporarily expand this program in order to partially
reimburse home sale losses in the following priority order:
Wounded
service members relocating for treatment or medical retirement, and for the
survivors of those who have died while on deployment.
Military
and DoD civilians affected by the 2005 BRAC round, without the need (which
existed under previous law) to prove that the base closure caused the local
market decline.
Normal
military permanent change of station (PCS) moves, on a temporary basis.
Last February, Congress authorized ARRA funding for a temporary expansion of the HAP in order to address unique economic pressures faced by military personnel. After conducting an extensive analysis to determine how best to prioritize the finite $555 million available while maximizing assistance to as many people as possible, the DoD developed specific eligibility criteria that includes PCS retroactivity from July, 1, 2006, through December, 31, 2009, and longer for wounded warriors/surviving spouses and personnel affected by BRAC.
Special eligibility criterion for this temporary program expansion is
available on the HAP website at http://hap.usace.army.mil
.
All active and former members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, as well as DoD civilians, who have sold a primary residence for a loss or are considering selling their home are encouraged to visit the HAP website in order to check specific program criteria, and if eligible, apply online.
If there is anything that RE/MAX Elite can do to make this transition as seamless as possible, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Posted at 01:38PM May 19, 2009 by RE/MAX ELITE in Real Estate | Comments[0]
Is Now The Time To Buy?
We get asked this question a lot these days. The following reasons will help you understand why we say YES:
The upside of Florida real estate: 15 market positives
Let's take a look at some of the opportunities and positive indicators for the future of Florida's real estate market.
1. Great prices. Statewide, home prices have fallen 20 percent in the past year. FAR statistics show the existing-home median sales price was $185,400 in the third quarter of 2008, compared with $233,200 in third quarter 2007. By the way, those numbers are still significantly higher than in the early years of the decade: in 2003, the third-quarter sales price was $163,700, which reflects an increase of about 13.3 percent over the five-year period. (The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half for less.)
2. The time is right. Home sales volumes are rising again - a clear signal that today's "buyers market" may be changing soon. In third quarter 2008, statewide sales of existing single-family homes were up 5 percent compared to the same period last year, according to FAR statistics.
3. High inventory levels. Conditions are ideal for buyers to find their dream home. Inventory is plentiful in all price ranges. But as sales volumes increase, inventory levels are likely to shrink - another strong argument for buying soon.
4. Low mortgage rates. Mortgage rates are still at the lowest levels since the 1960s. That's important because lower rates multiply a buyer's financial power. Even one-half of one percentage point difference means a buyer could save more than $1,000 per year on a median-priced home. Buyers get more home for the money, which is a perfect scenario for families looking to upsize.
5. Incentives to buy. Federal, state and local housing programs can help buyers make that big purchase. The U.S. Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 includes a $7,500 tax credit for first-time buyers on a home purchased between April 9, 2008 and July 1, 2009. Last October, Florida approved $571 million in tax-exempt bonds for loans to first-time buyers with low and moderate incomes. Florida programs can also help moderate income buyers cover downpayment and closing costs. Talk to a local mortgage lender about these and other incentive programs.
6. A long-term growth state. Long-term economic and demographic trends continue to favor Florida. By 2010 it has been forecast that Florida will be the third most populated state in the country. Florida's population is expected to increase about 75 percent by 2030. Florida has been one of the 10 fastest-growing states in the U.S. for each of the past seven decades, and often it has been in the top four, according to census data. Population growth will continue to provide a foundation for other economic growth such as new jobs and growing incomes. All of which is good for real estate.
7. A migration magnet. The University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Competitiveness projects that 81,000 people will move to Florida in 2009 and 120,000 in 2010. Based on a 2.2-person household size, that means Florida will see increased demand for roughly 37,000 homes and condominiums in 2009 and 55,000 the following year. That's a lot of new buyers coming into the market.
8. A favored retirement destination. Over the long term, Florida stands to benefit from the migration of the aging Baby Boomer generation, roughly 80 million strong. Demographic studies show that the Sunshine State's mild climate and outdoor amenities continue to make it an attractive retirement destination.
9. A diverse economy. While the national economic downturn has definitely affected the banking and finance sector, other pillars of Florida's economy remain strong. Healthcare, tourism, education and government are stable components of the state’s business environment, and the life sciences sector is fast becoming an important driving force in South and Central Florida. According to Enterprise Florida Inc., the Sunshine State is ranked as one of the best states in the nation to be an entrepreneur.
10. Positive investment outlook. Every quarter, the University of Florida's Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies conducts a survey of industry executives, market research economists, real estate scholars and other experts. In the third quarter 2008 survey, the investment outlook for various types of Florida properties remains steady. "People who have responded to our surveys have not lost their faith in Florida as a place to be and a place to invest," said Dr. Wayne Archer, director. "We have 40 pages of comments from our respondents, and although the dominant theme is the disruption of financing, perhaps the second theme, as one person put it, is people being on the sidelines with full pads and helmets just waiting to jump back in."
11. Homeownership has value. Realtors believe - and research supports that belief - that homeownership provides a variety of benefits, tangible and intangible, to the community as well as the individual homeowner. Studies show that home equity is still the largest single source of household wealth, both for the individual homeowner and for homeowners as a group. Home value is the most important single aspect for homeowners.
12. Greater well-being. Owning a home leads to increased personal well-being. Research shows that people who own their own homes tend to show higher levels of personal esteem and life satisfaction, which in turn helps to make homeowners and their children more productive members of society.
13. Good for kids. Studies show that children raised in homes owned by their families are more likely to stay in school and more likely to graduate high school. They're also shown to have a higher lifetime annual income.
14. Good for communities. People who own homes have a strong financial stake in what happens to their community and tend to become more involved in community and civic affairs. Studies show that homeowners also interact with their neighbors to gain wider influence over their neighborhoods and communities. Homeowners join up to 41 percent more civic and/or nonprofessional organizations than renters, such as the PTA or Scouts; vote in local elections 15 percent more often; enhance their neighborhoods with gardens 12 percent more often; attend church about 10 percent more often; and have a 3 percent greater chance of being interested in public affairs.
15. An unsurpassed lifestyle. Finally, let's not forget the things that brought people to Florida in the first place, and will continue to attract them - beautiful beaches, fabulous weather and a friendly business climate, with no state income tax. It's no wonder that Florida's combination of temperate climate, outstanding recreational amenities and economic opportunity has consistently put us at the top of Harris Poll's "most desirable places to live" survey.
Summing up the benefits, 2007 Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) President Nancy Riley says, "Florida Realtors know buying a home is a very personal investment - an investment in a family's future. Although research shows it is the largest single investment most families make and helps to provide security for the future, owning a home isn't just a financial investment. Ownership is about having a place to call home: a place where families build a future and become part of a community."
Now there is 15 reasons to take action today! You can also rest assured that you are in great hands with RE/MAX ELITE! RE/MAX Agents accounted for 28.2% of the entire market share for Brevard County in 2008. That equates to 1 out of every 4 Buyers or Sellers being represented by a RE/MAX Professional. Our team is experienced and dedicated to providing you the service you deserve. Please call 1-800-983-3457, or e-mail us at BrevardElite@gmail.com, so that we can get started today!
Posted at 11:55AM Jan 28, 2009 by RE/MAX ELITE in Real Estate | Comments[0]
New Condo Governance Form Effective January 1, 2009...
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Posted at 01:16PM Dec 29, 2008 by RE/MAX ELITE in Real Estate | Comments[0]
