Looking for a Transaction Coordinator

Hello! My team is growing and I need your help! I am looking for a Transaction Coordinator.

Do you know of somebody that would like to work full time in a fast paced and intense business?

Give me call at 513.368.3719

St. Andrew’s Golf Travel

Hi everyone! I’m here in Las Vegas at the Mike Ferry Organization seminar. I’m learning how to better my skills when listing and selling homes. I’m here networking with some of the best agents in the world!

I would like to introduce you to Jamie. She is with St. Andrews Golf Travel. Many of you are avid golfers and Jamie can best explain it.

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Hello, everyone. My husband and I own St. Andrew’s Golf Travel and we offer luxury golf packages throughout St. Andrew’s and Scotland.  Our aim is to provide the best customer service and let you play on any of the top courses in Scotland.

If you would like more information, please call me at 513.368.3719 or email me at kackerman@kw.com!

Thanks for watching!

Keller Williams Has Moved to #1!

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DALLAS, TX - Keller Williams Realty announced that it is now the largest real estate franchise company by agent count in the United States. In recent years, the company has surpassed RE/MAX, Century 21, and then finally Coldwell Banker to secure the industry's top position. The news, based on publicly available information as of Feb. 6, 2013, was announced in front of more than 10,000 Keller Williams associated during the company's Family Reunion. 

CEO Mark Willis declared: "We are one family, we have one destiny, we share one thing. We are America's #1 real estate company by agent count!" Willis also reported on the strong productivity gains by Keller Williams associates in 2012. Year over year, per-agent units increased 23 percent, closed volume was up 31 percent, and gross commission income rose 28 percent. Moreover, a record 91 percent of the company's offices were profitable for the year. The company also announced total profit share of $55 million - an increase of 44 percent over the previous year. 

During her State of the Culture report, Keller Williams Realty President Mary Tennant updated attendees on KW Cares, which in 2012 awarded $2.7 million in grants to associates and their families in need. 

"One of the keys to Keller Williams Realty's phenomenal success has been our ability to grow organically - from agent to agent, from market center to market center, from country to country - earning our reputation one person at a time, " Heller said. 

Willis' presentation was followed by a 30th anniversary party featuring the Doobie Brothers. The No. 1 announcement and celebration capped a remarkable year for the company: J.D. Power and Associates ranked Keller Williams "Highest in Customer Satisfaction" among both home buyers and home sellers; Keller Williams was ranked No. 9 on America's Top 150 Workplaces - the only real estate company on the list; and in April, Keller Williams Realty co-founder and bestselling author Gary Keller will publish his latest book, The ONE Thing: The surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results. 

Willis thanked associates and implored them to "never back down" from their #1 position in the industry: "Let's celebrate tonight, but watch out, competition. Tomorrow we're going to be working harder than we've ever worked before. Our ONE Thing is to be #1 in agent count and transactions and volume all across the world! God first. Family Second. Business third!"

Go Green

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Buying a green home can save you a lot of money.  For example, we recently showed a home on the market with geothermal heating that will cost the buyer an average of no more than $70 a month.  How does that compare to your heating bills?  Another major savings is the taxes for the year are $600, saving $9,000 annually for the next 15 years.  It translates into true value for the consumer.  Sound interesting?    

So if you’re looking to save money and want a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle for you and your family, a green home is right for you.  These homes have lower utility bills, use less water, are associated with fewer asthma attacks and are at lower risk for mold and mildew.  Top off these benefits with the fact that they are affordable and better for the environment.  Keep in mind that houses in the U.S. are responsible for 21% of our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change.  

To determine the best green home for you, look for the mark of excellence in building green homes that comes from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED, a third-party certification system based on measurable results.  LEED recognizes the highest-quality in green home building.  LEED-certified homes are energy efficient, use nontoxic materials, are water smart and respect the environment.  The U.S. Green Building Council created LEED and includes 14,000 member organizations dedicated to sustainability in building design and construction.  The commercial construction industry has used this system for more than seven years, and currently more than 3.2 billion square feet of real estate is seeking certification.

Think of LEED as a nutrition label for your home that gives you confidence in its specific features that will contribute to your quality of life.  To sum up the benefits, they are economic, environmental and health-related, including:      

• Lower energy and water bills.  (You may also be eligible for financial benefits such as lower fees for financing and lower insurance rates.)   

• Reduced green house emissions. 

• Reduced exposure to mold, mildew and other toxins. 

If you’d like to learn more about homes on the market, including LEED-certified properties, please contact us at 513.368.3719 or kackerman@kw.com or 513.289.2320 or cherylferry@kw.com.           

Happy Holidays!

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To all our cherished friends, neighbors, family and clients – we are so proud to have been able to work with you and be a part of your lives! As we end this year and turn to the exciting time and events that 2013 holds, we just wanted to take a moment to thank you for all that you bring to our lives.

We have some really great plans in the coming year to bring more success to all your real estate endeavors. And with each transaction that makes it to the closing table in the coming months and years ahead – we know that there will continue to be new and exciting things to follow for all of us.

On behalf of the entire group – Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, Peace and Joy!

Real Estate Trends On Both Sides of the Fence; Here’s What’s Happening

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We are definitely seeing a plethora of lengthy reports about the real estate market these days, whether on a national level or honed in on a particular local area.  But the fact remains that the market is in an unstable state and keeping track of indexes, watching over home sales and how they fluctuate from month to month or year over year, is giving us a glimpse into what to expect.  It is these very measures that allow us to foresee the greater trends that exist so we can act accordingly.  Here, according to which side of the transaction you are on, are some happenings in the industry and what they mean to you as a home buyer or home seller.

Buyers Don’t Beware
Buyers Trend #1
Foreclosures have slowed down. 

For the most part, whatever foreclosures that had flooded the market have either slid into transition stage, where the banks are reviewing documents and going through the sometimes lengthy review process that comes before accepting applications to purchase a foreclosed home – or there are fewer properties available.  There was indeed a flood of distress sales in the market that occurred in the recent past but banks have now shifted away from foreclosures and they are favoring short sales instead. Short sales are a far better option for many reasons, but the two main benefits remain 1. Homeowners are either able to retain some of their credit while buying back their home at less than its current value and 2. Banks are spared the added expense and risk that goes along with foreclosures.

Buyers Trend #2
Prices remain historically low.

One thing that has not changed for the duration of our current recession, even as we have headed into a double-dip economic downturn, is that as a result home prices continue to be at their lowest level in years.  In the S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index, it is indicated that housing prices these days rival a 30-year low and they seem to be hanging there in place as the market remains unsettled. Even though prices are as low as they are, the fact remains that these transactions that are taking place are happening with regular homeowners and simple sales deals, rather than banks for foreclosure sales.

Buyers Trend #3
Rates are still at an all-time low.

Interest rates, depending on the day, are still as low as a little under 5% for the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage loan.  For potential homeowners and those who want to move up or seize the opportunity to move into a luxury residence, this could not be a more perfect time to invest in that property.  For those people willing to remain in the mix for the long haul, the current market trends will predominantly not affect them in terms of return on investment.  The market will indeed bounce back, whether 6, 7 or even more years later.  And when it does, you will end up having much more house (in terms of value), while still paying that very low interest rate.
It’s a Small (Selling) World After All


Sellers Trend #1
There are lots of buyers looking to buy. 

When you are selling your property, the more the potential buyers the merrier.  With the number of buyers who are looking for a great deal your chances of selling are a lot better these days and if you have a home that has unique or upgraded amenities you can further avail the opportunities that will come with having that edge over other sellers.

Sellers Trend #2
Inventory is down. 

With the number of pending sales in limbo on a day-to-day basis, inventory figures are relatively low.  This is great news for people looking to sell their properties, because that translates to more buyers for the taking and the ones that do come looking at your property are far more impressionable.
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To sum things up, right now is a great time to be a buyer – especially with all the incentives out there ranging from super low interest rates to housing prices that are closer to those from 7 or 8 years ago.  If you can afford it now, buy now.

As a seller, the main advantage you have these days is that there is less inventory for those buyers out there looking for a deal now – which means you have the edge and better chances of selling that property.
The trends keep fluctuating a bit here and there but the major things remain:  low rates, low housing prices, low inventory.  And now is the time to seize the opportunities that lie within these trends.